Connie Simon

Artist Statement for Connie's "Grid Poems"

Each of my small gouache paintings is based on a grid pattern. The grid serves as a unifying starting structure for me as it does in so many textile and tile forms from around the world that have inspired me such as Islamic tile patterns and African Kente cloth. The grid presents a neutral scaffold upon which to play with a wealth of variations of color, light, volume, rhythm, and space. Patterns and grids are based on repetition which itself is expressive of a calm, hypnotic order that pleases me.

My paintings generally have a response to the visual world as an indirect starting point. It might be a particular color, a combination of colors, a shape of a piece of light falling on the floor, or a pattern of geometric shapes seen in passing. I am intrigued to find grid forms to contemplate in so many industrially produced objects such as manhole covers as well as in nature. The play of color and light on repeating volumes such as these is always an inspiration.

Website:  Connie Simon

1 /5 Sunset Grid #2, "9.5"x"13" 2 /5 RomanGrid #1, "8"x"11" 3 /5 RomanGrid #2, "9"x"12" 4 /5 RomanGrid #3, "10"x"13" 5 /5 Grid Poem #6, "9"x"12" ❮ ❯