Bio

I moved from Los Angeles to Tucson in the summer of 2005. My goal was to simplify my life and put myself into a more positive and creative environment.  I’d been thinking about this move for some time. Several visits before making my decision I reconnected with friends whom I’d met as an undergrad at the University of Arizona.  Their consideration and positive affirmation helped me make my decision to move, and their support made the transition a whole lot easier.

Having a history of making art in other places and suddenly, by choice, being in a new place with a newly acquired anonymity felt comfortable and right.  Since my arrival in Tucson I have been able to paint almost everyday. With this new freedom I have had the time to explore new ideas and themes which have interested me for years. It is my intention to continue on this path. With this new work, and more to come, I feel excited and it is important to me to share these paintings with the community. 

Although my image changes on a whim, the common thread of color and space, along with an intuitive feeling of balance and a quirky sense of humor, weaves a connection through my paintings.

Artist Statement

When painting, the importance of simultaneously being outside and inside the process of making the image is foremost in my mind. I call this place “The Zone” and as Fats Waller once said, “If you gotta ask what jazz is, you ain’t never gonna know.”

For several years now I have been taking photos of rock walls, and from these photos my paintings begin. First I select a photo and then I intuitively select an area approximately twice the size of a postage stamp and mask it off. This masked off area becomes my subject. I begin to impulsively draw what I see or imagine from the masked off area, with thinned, fully saturated oil paint. Next I start to find shapes and establish areas of light and dark value. In these early stages it is my rule, “When I begin to paint I must cover the entire painting surface.“ By doing this I familiarize myself with every inch of the picture plane.

During the past year my painting surface has become more expressionistic with layers of thick paint and vigorous, lively marks on top of intense, colorful, transparent washes. Additionally, my image has shifted from representational to more abstract. When successful, I believe the entire emotional and physical process of becoming an image is a shared event with the viewer and challenges their perception.

 

See Résumé for more details.

To make an art purchase or studio appointment email hello@joehattonart.com