Lenan has truly mastered the art of wood work from the pedestals found throughout Sievers Gallery to his colorful works of art. These paintings are acrylic on metal plate over wood panel. Iridescent and matte pigments are layered in veiled rhythms to capture the fluidity of light, and the rhythm in vision. Each layer both conceals and reveals what lies beneath.

Lenan's art is predicated upon three basic tenets: abstraction, the combinaion of  materials how they play against each other and the iconic character of painting. In abstraction, the artist is presented with a language which is at once universal and personal. Abstract painting enables the artist to speak to the heart of any viewer.

This current series of work is painted on panels of knotty alder in an off-square format. Vertical shapes read as time and horizontal shapes read as life. Lenan primes the wood panels, then masks off certain areas carving out shapes and patterns before applying paint and patina.

The carving is the element of drawing. The undulating lines give the surface an energy. The panels shadow the wall creating additional projections of space and layering.  Lenan says he appreciates the reflective qualities of metallic and iridescent paints. Metal foil and leafing underlay changes the character of the paint with the light, creating a subtle element that under closer inspection draws the viewer in.