Landscapes and gardens have had a profound influence on my understanding of life. Two years ago, I intended to begin a series of paintings based on gardens of the Northwest. However, a curious turn of events led me along a very different path.
Usually, I begin my work by collecting images, colors and textures. Instead, I found myself picking through broad internal questions: Did I understand how others lived and thought? What was my knowledge of history? What were my connections to my own and other cultures? And, why were my dreams suddenly so cryptic?
Taking the approach that these questions were related, I sat for months in my studio sifting through memories and reflecting on my dreams. And, I talked with other artists about the seed that was growing in my heart as I developed a cohesive vocabulary and color palate to represent my feelings and insights. Finally, using paint, I began exploring the contours of what is important
in my life. - Lin K. Mer
