Stephen Affleck: Abstract Mirrorism

These paintings are specifically designed to have no universal message to be received, but to stimulate the imagination to create its own subject matter and meaning. During this process of interpretation, the viewer is involved in my favorite pastime, the joy of creation.

Abstraction is used in my work to inspire meanings and feelings unique to the individual viewing my work. When an image is abstract, the viewer has the freedom to decide what they are seeing by creating it in their imagination. Therefore, what the painting represents can be unique to that specific viewer.

The goal of my work is to stimulate your imagination to create anything you desire in the painting, and apply this creation to the painting as its "secret meaning" that only you can comprehend. Hence the term "Abstract Mirrorism" arises from the paintings being used as mirrors of the viewer's imagination. Those who claim not to have "one creative bone" in their body, I invite to view one of my paintings and see what comes to mind.