curtis settino

About

I love abstract art. But I love a good story too. That’s why my work embodies both the vague and the representational. I like to join together familiar elements in original ways. I try to pick the moment before the true nature of the scene is revealed. It could go in any direction. Is it optimistic? Is it pessimistic? Is there harmony or is there discord? I like viewers to make those choices for themselves.

I work intuitively and fairly fast, though I have worked on some pieces for many years a half-hour at a time. I mostly paint on recycled pieces of wood because they have a lot of built-in character. I like to let the surface texture (scratches, paint, knots) direct the composition. Usually, I start by sketching in the composition with pencil. From there, I go to acrylic paint. To wrap up a piece, I might use ink or more pencil, spray paint and other materials. On some 2D works, I incorporate collage or even glue on small objects. The sculptures and short films I produce come about in a similar fashion. The ideation phases are usually intuitive and short. But creating the work always takes longer. It's mostly a methodical production process to finish the piece, while certainly allowing for and hoping for "happy accidents."

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