Artist's Statement

My work is inspired by imagery of growth and generation. Explorations and inventions of color relationships and their dynamic arrangements are all intrinsic to my paintings, monotypes, drawings, and collages. My search for life force, energy, and meaning engages color as value and depth.

Vigorous forms in my work are inspired by kinetic natural shapes: the smoke tree, the hydrangea blossom, grid, line, and text. As I layer color and mark, pictorial forms, rhythm, repetition, juxtaposition and diversion lead to the luminous spirit of things.

The aim of these crossword-based drawings is to develop an arc that connects the mysteries of language and the undulating waves and layers of meaning, hidden and revealed. The struggle to find the truth in crosswords’ webs and crossovers becomes a metaphor for the search for what is really going on, how we might discern it, translate it, unravel it.

Crosswords, designed by both genius word mongers and computers, are structures for patterns that turn into an invented personal language. Crosswords become a bridge over an intuitive confluence of what is revealed and hidden, known and unknown, truth and falsehood. My husband’s daily crossword papers, infused with lettered pencil marks, guide my hand and eye as the grids, letters, words, and their mysterious language lead me to go with the flow.

Paintings by Joan Stuart Ross • All Paintings • All Artists