Lani Tanaka

Artist Statement

My painting is in transition between figurative and abstract. Presently I am conscious of three things; the varying qualities of paint, the formal elements of art especially light, space, and line, and reserving the layers in the painting but only when it works not because I am so attached and precious about something.
The paint to me is the most seductive and beautiful part of the painting. I am caught up in expressive and illuminating brush strokes and line. I seek shimmering, iridescent layering and texture. I love the edges of things where two different hues or values meet I like making the paint at those junctures swirl, with just “hairs” of paint twinning together but at the same time creating a visual edge. I want it to look like chance close up and at the same time completely choreographed creating scenes full of light and space.

Because of my formal background and maybe temperament I have always been a figurative painter. It has always been a take off point, a problem an inspiration. It has been an answer and a question in every piece. With it has always been a hyper awareness of the formal elements of light, form and line.

Last and maybe not as importantly is the desire to show somewhere the first layer in the painting. I want there to be a contrast in the textures and layers.

The rub is that I have been trying to reconcile the figurative and the quality of paint. It seems like these things could easily both exist in a painting. For me, however, they are constantly battling it out. I feel schizophrenic ping ponging between tight and illustrative, and loose and expressive.