"Humans not only attribute purpose, intent, and various mental states to one another, but there is a primate and almost irresistible tendency to generalize such attributes to pets and other animals."(Gallup 1982)
In the twentieth century, anthropomorphizing is a common characterization in every day vernacular and thought. In a world where we have "doggie spas" and pet therapy, people have always seemed ready to believe that animals are like us in that they have feelings and purposes and regularly act upon them. There is no proof either way scientifically, but the roots of this phenomenon go deep and it is in my paintings and drawings that I take a specifically anthropocentric view while I discuss a condition or situation more likely attributed to humans.
I often refer to my own work as stories. When conceiving these pieces, I am taking a direct knowledge of a particular and personal situation, memory, emotion and relaying them to a viewer. The process of recollection is a way for me to guide the viewer into a particular thought. I use animals as an evasive tactic in which I, as in fables or bestiaries, apply a human characteristic on them. When there is a figure present with an animal, there is a comparative element that often raises questions on exactly how to compare the two species. Is the emotion human, or non-human? Is it appropriate either way?
This element of evasiveness manifests itself physically as well. Though I have been well trained in figure drawing, I often find myself blurring and pushing back literal descriptions of the figures in my work. The animals, though derivative of naturalistic representation, take form in a more stylized, or perhaps contemporary "bambi-ish" feeling. Again, this enhances and repeats the overall desire to give to, and take back from a viewer (as well as myself). There are times that I question even my own views on animals and what exactly they think and feel, but there is no way for any one of us to really understand that, and perhaps that is the reason I choose to tell stories through them at all.
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