Artist Statement

Artist Statement



My work, whether realism, abstract, or a combination, gives me an opportunity to express internal struggles that have been stumbling blocks on my path to becoming a better human being. Issues such as sobriety, control, the quest for acceptance, and judgment, just to name a few.

I knew at a very young age that art was what the majority of my life was supposed to be composed of. It felt right. Normal if you will. Creativity is where I learned what true freedom means, is a considerable portion of my journey to complete happiness, and precisely why I paint today.

The subjects found in my current portrait work are famous pop and religious icons, most of whom who have had some form of private issues made very public. Sometimes there is perseverance for them, and sometimes not. To me, the lack of perfection is the beauty of being human in it’s purist form. The black and grey main subjects surrounded by vibrant color is my nod to the old adage, “All that glitters is not gold.” This same theme can be found throughout a large portion of my painting where realism is used no matter the main subject matter.

For me, the abstract paintings are about the release of control. The questions I ask myself are, “How much control over things do I really have?” Or better yet, “Do I even want the responsibility of being in control?” The pouring and fluid techniques used in several pieces are my way of surrendering to the process of creativity. In most cases this is short lived as control finds it’s way back into my work through the manipulation of edges where the pouring or fluid painting begins and ends.

In closing, I paint what I feel I relate to on some level. Its empathetic for me, and helps me never to forget where I've come from. I often say, “God had different ideas for me. “, and this has proven itself to be a truth in my life. I now spend the majority of my time painting commissioned and original pieces in Southeast Texas, and share my gift with people in the recovery community in the greater Houston / Beaumont area and abroad.



Hank Edwards