Closer: Duane Nickerson

My current paintings display a closer exploration of the complex visual matrix that arises from the slow growth and decay of trees. With such subject matter, the theme of time is ever present. I am intrigued by the various tracks of time evident in the form of slow growing organisms that endure and decay through seasons of heat and cold. This sense of slow change is reflected in the process of layering mixtures of the primitive, physical medium of oil paint on a canvas surface and pastel marks on paper. The slowness of my technique pays modest tribute to the endurance of forests and the majesty of biological forces that continue to shape our environment.

My work is rooted in the tradition of landscape painting, a long and varied practice that extends to the dawn of human civilization and is featured prominently in the art making traditions of Canada.  As a landscape painter, my intention is to explore a sense of being through careful study of natural forms shaped by time. Being, from my vantage point, involves sensing and accepting the force of eternity behind the veil of physical form; becoming more aware of the delicate dance of life and death that creates the beauty of the natural world we inhabit.