Brian Kirchoff | Contemporary American Abstract Artist

Brian J. Kirchoff
Born 1960, St. Louis Missouri USA

Artist Statement

I've always been drawn to things that show their history.

Old painted advertisements on brick buildings are a good example. You can see something that was there years ago beneath what came later—faded lettering, peeling paint, colors showing through. I like that sense of time, age and discovery, and it has found its way into the way I paint.

I don't really begin with a blank canvas. I build something, paint over it, uncover parts of it, alter it and respond to what remains. I add layers of color and texture, scratch and rub things away, and leave some areas untouched. The painting evolves through that process of covering, revealing and discovering.

A lot of my process comes down to one question: “What happens if I do this?”

I paint and respond to what I see in real time. Sometimes the result is nothing like what I intended. Sometimes I see something interesting that I never would have thought to create intentionally. When that happens, I follow it. I purposely try not to be perfect, because perfection limits possibilities.

Line and mark are especially important to me, as are color, texture, movement and tension. Sometimes the result is purely abstract. Other times, a landscape, seascape, structure or other recognizable form begins to emerge. I don't try to make these things completely clear. I'd rather leave enough for the viewer to discover something of their own. There are no right or wrong interpretations.

My work continues to evolve from one body of work to the next. The paintings may look quite different from one another, but there is a common vocabulary in the way I use line, mark, layering, color and composition. Those recurring elements are what make the work recognizable as mine.

I've been doing this for decades, and I'm still surprised by what can happen on a canvas.

That's the part I love.

I've been painting this way for a long time, but it didn't start with a plan to become an artist. In fact, I didn't really think of myself that way for much of my life.

A little background helps explain how I got here.

Restlessly creative is how I describe myself, which explains my varied careers in fields like broadcast, on-camera, graphic development and design, computer based training, programming, and of course, painting.  

Focusing on the abstract, my work usually features line and color, oftentimes with a noticeable geometric take.  I rely heavily on the use of line and mark to bring about tension and interest and bring your eye to various points within the work. 

While I occasionally explore vague themes in my work, I prefer that viewers form their own interpretations based on their personal experience and imagination. Visual interest and exploration are my goals as a painter — my motivation is purely aesthetic. I paint because I enjoy the process, not to express some long-suffering mental anguish, make political statements, or comment on the plight of endangered species.  

My method involves throwing down some sort of background color or colors, determining a structure based on what I see, then applying paint and reacting to it.  I use a variety of applicators that I've stumbled across over the years that have offer somewhat unpredictable results.  Meaning I don't always know exactly how the paint will lay on the canvas.  I embrace the imperfections that I see from moment to moment, and respond to them as I see fit.  My process is one of constant discovery.  Something that for me, makes painting a consistently new and interesting road to travel.