Color is everything; almost everything because in abstract art composition is important too. As a physicist by education and occupation, I have an understanding of the creation and perception of color. Although color can be created by any of several physical processes, most of what we see everyday is the result of removing some frequencies of light by absorption while the remaining light is reflected. Quantum mechanics dictates how light is absorbed and reflected. Biology provides the second half of the process of color perception. Is any of this part of a painting? Beyond the naming of some paintings, the answer is not in any obvious way, but the underlying principles are never far from the creative work. As for the names, the frequency of the dominant color might be part of the painting name, Blue 455 for example.

It was only after retirement that I had enough time to focus on painting. With more time I graduated from water colors and small pieces to acrylics and larger works. Usually I work in layers, applying, spreading and removing, and then repeating the process. The goal is to create art that can grab your attention from across the room but also keep your interest as you approach the painting and see the details. Marks, lines, words—some in Latin or Berber or equations are examples of what might appear to the viewer if they look closely.

The process is fluid, and notions of color and composition change as I find inspiration in other places.