Artist's Statement:

Art is the final creation as well as a record of the process of that creation.  My creative process is to apply, work and remove paint on the canvas with pallet knives and other tools.  This process creates movement within the paintings and allows the viewer to see how the painting evolved through multiple steps.

My paintings combine Eastern and Western philosophies, a combination, if you will, of the East's calm Zen Buddhism and the West's almost frantic constant motion.  Zen Buddhism speaks of an energy flowing through all things. My optimistic view of the West's constant motion is that only through hard work and struggle can you create something meaningful.  By melding these two philosophies, I seek to show the relevance of each as well as the energy flow that is inherent in all things.

Max Riggs 2005