Chris Ernst “Swamp Thing” acrylic

Artist Statement
My work transforms the familiar primarily via color selection and the painterly qualities present when painting by hand.  Popular culture is a vital reference for me throughout the creative process. I am drawn to working with acrylic paint and through silk screen printing. Punk music, hip hop and skateboard and surf culture are all huge influences of mine. I prefer complementary, vibrant colors and lines. I enjoy creating tension for the viewer visually and intellectually.  I am interested in the tension a composition holds when seemingly contradictory elements are present–tension created through specific color and semiotic creative decisions in my compositions.