GAIL SALZMAN . Statement 

I am fascinated with bodies of water.  Rain puddles, tidal pools, the pond next to my Vermont studio all suggest vitality, overlapping realities and change.  As a metaphor for the fluidity of time and memory, water is central to my consciousness and is a recurring theme in my abstract paintings.

In the studio, I surround myself with light and color, move paint around, obscure and reveal layers, and take advantage of unexpected contingencies. Like water, oil paint has the potential for unanticipated movement. I use rolling, scraping, and pressure techniques, exploiting the qualities of paint to create a synthesis of emotional and visual tension.