CRG: I know that you use Islamic patterning as a reference in your work, and I also noticed that all or most of the faces are hidden/ obscured. I found that pretty interesting because in the Islamic religion, they are not allowed in their artwork to depict the human form. Is there a significance to this Islamic idea of not depicting faces?
RC: I don't really reference Islamic patterning directly, I think it's more that I just build my patterns in the same sort of way. I like figuring out ways to build the different patterns, there is a sort of math to it all that I find interesting. Working out the patterns and actually the whole painting is this process of sort of making and solving a puzzle all at once. I like that.
The faces and other things which are obscured or hidden just comes from wanting to hide things and have secrets in my paintings. I like the idea that you can never really know what's going on and that you can continually find new things in them.
CRG: Second part of that question, also related to Islamic patterning, their use of patterns derived from nature represents the most perfect depiction of the presence of their god. In other religions, in particular the Mandalas that occur in a number of different cultures, they use pattern and repetition as a way to meditate on the presence of some greater power. What are your thoughts on this?
RC: I think working in this way can be very meditative. A lot of times I'll be working and before I know it the whole day has gone by. It's very easy to zone out and lose yourself in this kind of work. As far as reflecting on, or communing with any sort of higher power, I don't know—but I'm not really looking to do that. I just kind of daydream or think about whatever, but I guess if I were real into God, I'd think about that.
