Cosmic Thumbprints, Continued…

"In this series of paintings, I continue the exploration, begun several years ago, of the relationship between form and formlessness. How does the unseen express itself through color and shape?

I am inspired by the images projected by the Hubble and Webb telescopes. I also love looking up at the night sky when spending time in my house in upstate New York. What exists in that vast space beyond the seen, often referred to as a “void?” Newer exploration indicates that the void is not completely empty; it only appears that way to the observer. This sparks my curiosity about what can emerge from the unseen.

Likewise, when I stand in front of a blank board, paints at my side, I am presented with the question of what images can be brought forth onto this empty space. It calls into play my subconscious, my imagination, the paint and the board itself, all working together to produce paintings that, at times, remarkably resemble those captured by the telescopes. While more focused and less “accidental” than the paintings of the first series of Cosmic Thumbprints, these current works continue to reveal the surprise of the unseen becoming visible. I am again struck with a sense of wonder and discovery, feelings I hope will be stirred in the viewer as well." - Hy Varon