Where We Meet: A Painting Series About Connection
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I started painting square grids at the end of 2025.
I don't really have a rational explanation for why I began working this way. It simply felt fun to focus on colour and use a palette knife. There was also something unexpectedly freeing about working within a grid-like structure.
At first, every painting included a heart and I called the series Love is Love.
Then something really interesting began to happen when I started creating larger works.
I began leaving spaces between the squares and slowly realized that the squares felt a little bit like people. They were relating to one another, influencing each other, yet holding onto their own individuality.
This idea became the foundation for the new series I'm calling Where We Meet.
Honestly, one of the most enjoyable parts of this body of work is watching how the squares visually interact and "talk" to each other. You can see this beautifully in the close-up studio image above. The paint is still wet—I had been working on it only minutes before taking the photograph.
Some of the paint overlaps from one square into another. Colours blend, textures interrupt one another, edges soften, and unexpected relationships form.
It feels very reflective of our human experience.
We influence one another in both visible and invisible ways. Sometimes we inspire each other. Sometimes we create friction. Sometimes we absorb aspects of the people around us, while remaining distinctly ourselves.
I think this series is quietly teaching me a lot about connection.
If you'd like to explore Love Is Love and other series among my available artwork, my Portfolio Overview is a great place to start.
If something resonates or you'd like to connect, I'd love to hear from you. My studio is open by appointment, so do reach out via my Contact page if you're in the area.
PS: This is the latest in a series of posts about my new painting series and my creative practice. Read the previous post here if you missed it.
Where We Meet: Art Collaboration by Deb Chaney & Ocean Mussack
This collaborative exhibition explores the intersection of contemporary abstract painting and wood sculpture. Long-time admirers of each other’s work, artists Deb Chaney and Ocean Mussack bring together mixed-media paintings and expressive wood sculptures. Through colour, texture, and form, their distinct artistic voices engage in a thoughtful, immersive dialogue shaped by friendship, curiosity, and creative connection.
Visit the Events Page for more details.