Call me an optimist, but I believe that man has the powerful ability to dream, to create better worlds and new realities. And images play an important role in this. Our history begins with images, which go far back in time, even farther than language, and are cross cultural. We are united through images. I keep this in mind daily as I am barraged through news and media with sensationalist stories and events of world crisis. Part of me wants to join the peace corps but instead I paint. I paint with the conviction that my images can heal.

Combining old and new is an important aspect in my work, presenting images as a footprint of history. Some paintings use gold leaf, referring to illuminated manuscripts and Asian screens. The imagery in my work brings to mind exotic oceans dissolving in mist, while simultaneously becoming color or "energy fields". Inventing new forms of composition and paint applications add a contemporary feel. This unusual combination of abstract and realism, plus old with new, help to evoke a meditative or divine/heavenly place.

To create powerful but positive images, painting becomes an excavation of self, searching for questions as well as answers. The very act of painting urges me to confront questions about aesthetics. What is the relationship between beauty and healing? In addition to ocean and sky references, my energy fields often contain garden or botanical elements such as plants and fruit, and geometric patterns - all combining to create inner psychological landscapes. Some forms remain visible, while others become veiled or buried thus creating a metaphor for transformation and growth. Art that is Beautiful entices an inner journey. When the viewer embarks on a journey where they can discover their own truth, then healing can occur.

Printable Version of Reyner Artist Statement