Irene Nelson

"An abstract painter, I create spontaneous instinctual compositions using a predetermined color palette. The paintings and their symbols take on meaning to the extent that the viewer discovers an essence based on their own relationship to the forms and color. My practice is an attempt to stay in a place where I can remain open to every possible mysterious image-impulse, free from concept and decoration. There is no compulsion to create a meaningful narrative; no formula or conscious constraint to the process-- other than working through the fear and exhilaration of the unknown. Ultimately, my desire is for the paintings to have a hopeful and uplifting effect on the viewer, reflecting what I feel when standing alone in the light-filled space of my studio and mind."