About The Work

‘Throughout my creative lifespan, I have consistently been questioned about my titles. Where do they come from? What do they mean? For me, they were just a way to differentiate one painting from the next but more and more people were intrigued by them. Most often the title comes to me in the process of making the painting. It's usually clear as day, and it's suddenly so obvious that I couldn't imagine the painting having any other name. I can't fully explain it. For the series, I decided to just put the title right on the front like a name tag at a fast-food joint. 

What's in a Name? consists of paintings that contain energized interactions between simple elements and bold colors against a quiet negative space. 

Each painting may hint at something, but my hope is that they remain elusive. By having the title right on the painting itself, the viewer gets a little nudge in a particular direction as to what I was thinking or where my mindset was at the time of painting it. 

By using combinations of shapes and colors, that only suggest common objects or design, the viewer’s attention is pulled at in a way similar to meeting someone for the first time, yet they are somehow so familiar to you. I want the viewer to be drawn in, but not be able to nail down exactly why.’  - SWD