Nick Aguayo

Artist Statement
I use painting as a means of representing mental liminal space. The images are conjured from an introspective painting practice that involves working slowly on several surfaces at given time. Fluctuating between abstraction and symbolism, the paintings are created in reverence and acceptance of the fleeting nature of the mind.

The paintings are nocturnal in spirit. They are often created at night when I can take advantage of the quiet hours to work. Here I am able to reach down a little deeper to work from a place that resembles subconscious and automatic states of consciousness. The paintings are usually finished when I arrive at a recognizable imagery that I hope will carry over to unfold and bloom in the imagination of the viewer.

Color, darkness, and light are at the heart of my subject matter. The impression of light is created through the process of removing layers of paint to reveal the ground surface. Light is also produced by means of the layering of transparent paint. Both methods produce apparition-like forms that appear to curl and float above the painting’s surface, making reference to entities of a ghostly realm. This process of layering and revealing light separates and blurs the boundaries of color and form, uncovering my fascination with in-between states of perception.