Making It Worse

Each layer of paint challenges the last layer.  Somehow I must find a way to expand.  I could keep an image that appears on the canvas and just make it what I see.  Let us say it is a hand. However what can happen then is that it get's over-named, too defined and dead.  The viewer can be happy that she identifies what it is, however it may not transcend a thing. 

 By making it worse I distort the view and even lose the definition that I had before.  In the case of this painting, still in process, I added white "stars"  I suddenly had the flag template come to me.  Jasper Johns arrived.  Hmmm  did I go away?  

Earlier I painted transparent yellow all over a figure gazing at a red ball.  Before that I had experimented with paper mache on the panel.  

I want to be able to look and look at it and still not know what it is but be inspired to go many places.

By making it worse I throw myself off and open up new possibilities.  

How do you throw yourself off to open up to the impossible?