Deborah Peeples

The paintings in this series all begin with the same underlying architecture and semiotic language. The aggressive re-articulation of the circle is about emphasizing my existence, my presence, and the desire to be seen. Shapes jostle for position to communicate and to determine their relationship to the others, their juxtapositions creating imbalance, insecurity, and surprise. They are about wholeness, the metaphorical holes inside us, emptiness, and femaleness. X forms are placed on top of and around the circles, and function as shields, both protective and distancing. The buoyant circles whirl in a turbulent, exuberant dance, performing their individual parts on a crowded stage, each a unique and important contributor to the ensemble. As an adoptee, I wrestle with how I fit in the world, what I expose, and the fear of being truly seen. I am exploring the space between essential and enough.

Painting is my sensual response to the world, a time-release recording of the sounds, smells, and intensity of a moment. I create rules, as a foundation for the structure. The work is layered, incised, inlaid, and scraped; lines cut into the surface, either sharp or blurred, feeling alternately vulnerable and impenetrable. Always having my hands touch the surface feels essential. Along with its sensuous lushness, wax allows an immediacy and level of control.

I’m not confident that all the circles will stick around.