November Bridge

When starting out on a new canvas panel, I often prepare by applying a textured base comprised of many mediums. In this piece, I incorporated a large piece of canvas that had some beautiful marks and scuffs on it. When I say beautiful, I must explain that I find the random marks of time, age, and wear very compelling. My work is inspired by textures and surfaces – both architectural and of the natural world. I appreciate and am excited by the beauty of everyday mundane objects: for instance, the moss growing on old walls, the peeling of paint, the graffiti on bridges, torn areas and stains on fabric, and so on. I am inspired by the results of the passage of time.

“November Bridge” gets its title from a portion of a poster that was salvaged from a wall in Rome, Italy. I introduced it as an element of collage. I have a love of bridges, and this theme recurs in my work. Here, I have let the structure dominate the canvas. I then suggested a sky and let the rest of the piece merely unfold. I added graphite to reinforce the “architecture” and a bright red to offset everything else.

- Tamar Kander