THE FOCUS

As an artist I make paintings that exist in the sliver of space between abstraction and representation. I look to the lived daily experience of the world coupled with the artifacts of the past. My work compresses time into the surface and touch of painting, that old technology. Increasingly flora, fauna, and natural phenomenon have held my attention as I wrestle with this imagery within my paintings. Birds, plants, flowers, stones, and fires dissolve into the light of the screen,...

My work is a glimpse into the experiences and circumstances of African Americans throughout history. My work reveals the peculiar history and circumstances of African Americans, as well as addresses the lack of attempts to understand people of color. This work is being created from the point of view of a young black man, who grew up with constant awareness of his “otherness”. Being raised in an all white neighborhood, being told by kids parents that I couldn’t play with t...

Mary Addison Hackett: The first thing that struck me about some of your recent work was the ambiguous reference to water. You grew up in Haiti, before settling in Palm Coast, Florida—a community developed under the guidance of William Levitt, whose nickname was, “The King of Suburbia.” Can you talk about how your background and coastal living has informed your work? Abigail Lucien: Growing up I was never too far from a body of water; it hadn’t struck...