I am in layers; consequently, layers of emotions, layers of life’s experiences, layers of visual stimulus, and layers of colors that are always experiencing, absorbing, and processing the past, the present, and the future. To best understand my creative process one must know that art has always been my best friend. It has been my silent “voice”. It has allowed me to reinvent myself through various periods of my life. It has kept me sane in my weird way.

My color and visual encyclopedia has advanced into a more sophisticated cognitive format. What intrigued me after years of using the traditional mediums was to develop a body of work that had that ability to create color shifts and multiple viewpoints yet remained true to the elements and principles of art. Work that expressed color phenomena, emotional shifts, visual experiences, a sense of the past, the present, and the future….a cognitive “what if” scenario. Art which views as a colorful abstract from a distance yet draws the viewer closer for further exploration. I had to create work that is unique; nonetheless, through the shifts is quite specific in its viewpoint, in its color phenomena, and it invokes dialogue.

The transparent layering process exhibited I developed in order to express those interfacing challenges. For years I have read, researched, and executed color theories in processing my traditional work. In this body of work I have combined Kandinsky’s theory of sensory color; J Albers theory of juxtaposition interaction; Werner’s observation of natural color; Goethe’s theory of aesthetics to specific mood; and the Chinese Five Elements into one process. This transparent layered work is my HIKU.

Each piece consists of four layers. Each layer is started with no preconceived conceptions only in thought; therefore, it is open for my interaction. The layers are separated into one color specific correlated visual viewpoint. The ink and oil paint medium is executed using the three primaries; reds, yellows, blues and one neutral black. Each separated color layer is then stacked on top of each other. The top layer expresses one color correlated viewpoint. The underlying layers are then shifted creating new viewpoints and new color phenomena.

My transparent work is intended to invoke dialogue. It is juxtapositions’ about color preferences...juxtapositions’ about emotions… juxtapositions’ about ones’ personal experiences. It exposes my layers…my voice...which no longer remains silent.

L Lee Ligocki

2021