Presence 3 - Acrylic on Wood 36'' x 48'' Dominique Payette's powerful, complex paintings are an investigation into the aesthetic possibilities of geometric abstraction as well as experiments in blending textures within a relatively narrow palette. The crux of this artistic examination lies in her commitment to a study of the intricacies that can be developed in the context of a range of relatively limited colors like white, black, brown and gray, as well as the multiplicity of textures and moods that pervade Dominique's work. Her multilayered paintings embrace an assortment of painting and brushwork styles that range from needle-thin scratching to large blocks of color that work upon each other like sculptured objects and that blur the distinction between background and foreground. She also paints on a variety of surfaces, including wood and masonite, and uses mixed media in her paintings. Shapes of different sizes and textures seem to float in uneasy proximity in spaces that are, at various times, shadowy and milky.

Lines interacting in loose grids invite the artist's exploration and manipulation. The resolution of this confluence of opposites is an intricate tension within the elements of Dominique Payette's work. Her paintings demand that the viewer address core questions about the space of the canvas itself and the building blocks of visual art. The results are inspiring and engaging.

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