The Paintings of David Oleski  mission statement

 
January 9, 2008

Just when I think I've learned enough about green, a simple apple proves it can teach me just one more thing. There's so many directions that green can shift and change. I can think of cadmium yellow as having the yellow version of the effect of red, compared to lemon yellow having the yellow version of blue, and alizarin crimson has more of a blue effect of red, and allows cadmium yellow to become a complimentary color that darkens everything. Now white acts like blue, and immediately makes everything flash with a cool brightness, and yellow is now the color of light. Back and forth, around and around, there's no end to it. 

Every day my studies include pondering these abstract color relationships, calculating every aspect of light, form, space and depth. I spend countless hours mixing colors and comparing them and referencing them against real life. It's always a surprise when I take a step back from the easel and realize that I've reached a certain point of resolution and balance. The paintings I create are the by-product of these studies; when I've learned enough from one study, I'll scratch my name into the paint and move on. There's always more to learn on the next one.