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Marcia Hindman — painting

Marcia Hindman lives in Milwaukie, OR.

Artist's Statement

Abstract landscapes best describe my work. They are recollections from places I’ve lived, therefore the paintings can be divided into three categories: Mississippi, state of my birth; Louisiana, my youth; and Oregon, my home. The paintings presented on this website are more geographical chronicles than chronological memories, more speeding glances than in-depth static views.

I begin a new canvas by drawing lines and shapes, attempting to set in motion the rhythm of the painting. The subject matter is a mystery to me. I like to use the technique of scumbling, which is softening the lines and colors by rubbing with a brush or cloth. Next, I start building up the layers, adding lines, deleting lines, etching into the wet paint, scraping off layers and continuing with more drawing, erasing, scraping until I’m satisfied. The process is reminiscent of writing on a blackboard and erasing quickly, writing again, and repeating this cycle until the composition is complete.

My favorite color interaction is simultaneous contrast so when choosing the range of colors, I will juxtapose two colors that are opposite on the color wheel, such as blue and yellow or red and green. I’m fascinated with the hues produced when mixing 2 complimentary colors together, especially the neutrals that could be called the no-colors. If an image of a bird, or a house, a hill, ladder, a chair, fence, or horizon line emerges, that image might make it through to the end of the painting, but it could also get buried under layers of paint or other drawn images (creating yet a 3rd or 4th image). Texture plays a big role in my work.

I like to scrape off sections of paint to find the surprises, like unexpected gifts, buried beneath the layers of paint. My canvases must be tough because of the scraping, marking, marring, and using metal tools to draw into the wet paint. I’m nearing a finished piece when I recognize the scenery. The mystery has been solved because I get a peek, like a glimpse of the scenery from a moving car, a hint of where the painting is taking me. Maybe back to Mississippi where I think of my family, friends and my younger life, or maybe back to New Orleans where I spent my 20’s having fun, making new friends, finding new cultures and learning hard lessons, or maybe the painting is about my home and my life in Portland, Oregon where I’ve lived for the past 25 years. 

Visit Marcia Hindman's website.