When I was a child, I used to paint only in black. My mother told me I used to cover the paper completely in thick black paint while all the other kids at kindergarten painted houses and happy stuff.

Artistically, I've moved forward from that phase, but not by much. I now include people in my paintings, and occasionally I go wild and paint a house or a tree. I still turn to black whenever I can though. It's my oldest friend.

I'm most comfortable elbow deep in oil paint slipping my way across a big board. Working on a larger scale lets me get really physical with my work. I barely use brushes as I prefer to use my fingers, elbows and palms to really get one on one with the piece.

I'm drawn to telling personal stories and use my paintings as a way of venting stress. I strive to always paint from a position of honesty and let the paint do the rest.

Recently an old man at an exhibition opening asked me; "Do you ever paint anything serious? Are you a serious painter or do you do this just for a laugh?" I was hurt and offended by his words, but he was such a sweet old prune I politely responded; "They (the paintings) may be about humorous things but I can assure you I'm serious about painting, deadly serious." In retrospect, maybe I should have shown him my 'black' kindergarten phase. Perhaps he would have found them to be more "serious".

Greg Page