Raymond Mckenzie

As a teenager I would sit on the shores of Lake Erie and watch that space where the air touches the water, daydreaming of what my future might look like. Who was I? Who did I want to be? Where would I go next? What would I do? What would the world be like? It was in this depth of cloud, sand, water and air that I would find myself and more importantly find dreams of who I would become. My paintings invite the viewer to look a little farther beyond, to explore the space behind.

My paintings are only roughly planned before I start, I know the palette of colors I’m using, and some general idea of a feeling I want to evoke. Sometimes that feeling changes as the painting evolves and takes me somewhere else. I use a combination of thick viscous paint worked with a palette knife with washes applied with house painting brushes. This combination allows me to work the paint in different ways in between layers.

I still like to stare into the clouds and dream of the future.