A tangled chain of events and escalating actions unravels as a story unfolds. Denouement, or “untie the knot” is the term in literature that describes this settling of plot lines. Not unlike the twisting threads of paint that are in constant communion and alternating conflict, internal dramas play out on the canvas.

Painting, for me, is ever-reactive. And through its activity, a temporal structure is built. Less of a conclusion and more of a revelation, each mark or movement conjures the next, and a picture of time is realized.

“Untie the knot” is also a command. For me, what is known in the body; through arm, hand and countless gestures has become a rehearsed muscle memory. In this daily act I proceed with both devotion and trepidation. These new paintings represent a more relaxed moment for me, and I have challenged my whole being to be completely present, with a more aware, intimate tension.

- Elizabeth Gilfilen