Joe
Novak — Statement — August
2000
My
paintings are abstract excursions into color and light. The works
on canvas tend toward the monochromatic, and incorporate tonal gradations
that infuse them with a meditative quality. Many of the works on paper
handle color similarly, while others are more involved with interaction
of colors.
The
manner in which I illuminate the paintings is an integral element
in the presentation of my work, and enables me to produce glowing
surfaces of color and light.
My
interest in light has led me to experiment with changing light levels
on my paintings. In one project, called “Light Emanations”,
I have created computerized sequences of variable light movements
and configurations, the effects of which extend the visual experience
of painting to include the elements of time, movement and change.
Currently
I am collaborating with architect Gil Beach on the design and creation
of “Gateways”, a permanent non-denominational meditation
chapel integrating painting and architecture. This structure, divided
internally into a grouping of separate but interconnected meditation
spaces, will incorporate, on a rotating basis, a substantial number
of my large “meditation” paintings.
Lives in Santa Fe, NM
