REBECCA KOURY Artist Statement The beauty and mystery of Nature inspire my artistic process. My intention as an artist is to interpret my experience of Nature and express the feeling of this experience through paint and other visual media. One of my first memories, while traveling in the Southwestern US with my family was finding a tiny piece of naturally polished flint on the ground. It stirred a lustful curiosity and affection for the Natural World within me. It felt extremely valuable and carried a beauty and a mystery about itself that was and still is difficult for me to identify. It was a precious stone created by the mystery and power of Nature to which I felt connected. It felt familiar, like home. Holding that piece of flint made me feel whole. I want this feeling to continue. This is what fuels my artwork. Most of my process is intuitive with a formal art education woven into my foundation. My sculpture background merges with my paintings and creates rich multi-layered surfaces full of colors, textures, and frequent symbols used as metaphor. This 3-dimensional perspective allows me to see the layers and between the layers as I am painting. Structure combined with organic form is a consistent theme running through my work. Removing areas by sanding and then layering again is a technique I use to reveal and achieve the final result.