Interior States- Inner Strata

11 × 14 inches | Original Contemporary Abstract Painting

In Inner Strata, I explore the relationship between the geological layers of the earth and the psychological layers we carry within ourselves. The painting reminds me of a geode split open to reveal something unexpected—evidence of time, pressure and transformation hidden beneath a seemingly solid exterior.

The fluid soak-stained passages of deep blue, turquoise and green create movement through the composition, swirling and pooling as though something beneath the surface is still shifting. Against that fluidity, the more defined lines of ochre, gold, ivory and earth tones become stabilizing forces. They trace the forms like mineral deposits or geological strata, creating structure around areas that remain mysterious and unresolved.

I am interested in that tension between movement and stability. Geologically, strata record what has happened over time: layers accumulate, pressure alters them, and traces of the past become embedded within the earth. Psychologically, I think we carry our own strata. Experiences, memories and emotions collect within us, shaping who we are even when they are no longer visible from the surface.

As part of my Interior States collection, Inner Strata explores the interior self through organic abstraction, layered color, soak-stain techniques and biomorphic forms. Rather than using the architectural perspective found in some works from the series, here I look to the architecture of nature itself. Earth becomes a metaphor for the self—strong and grounded, yet continually shaped by forces moving within it.

For me, Inner Strata is about what we accumulate, what we withstand, and the unseen layers that quietly become part of who we are.