As a young painter with a strong desire to connect to nature, I began painting following the tradition of plein air painters, who studied light and color differences embodied in the landscape. Though external references to nature have diminished in my paintings over the years, I continue to ruminate on organic processes that nature provides. The goal is to move beyond literal translation and get at something deeper- to uncover the cycles, the patterns, the entropy that are constantly playing out. It may be suggested in color choices and mark-making that I use. The color of sky at dusk, old stone, decaying wood, the passage of starling murmuration, footprints on the surface of a frozen pond- all become poetic moments that haunt my studio practice. Though at first glance my paintings may appear to be simple, given time I hope for them to open slowly to sensory experience. Always unsettled by the thought of imposing too much control in my working process, my aim is to excavate or “find” the painting through a slow procedure of erasure and recovery. Though this process is most often marked by doubt, in the end I find in it an act of redemption. 

Hochman’s works on paper were originally intended as studies for larger paintings. But soon they took on a life of their own. This was especially true after 2000, a period of intense creativity in which he produced some of his most dynamic and arresting works. It also coincided with the purchase of a rural property in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, where he began working out of a converted barn. Many of his works on paper reflect the space and tranquility outside his studio doors, while others echo the edgier work he produced in New York City. In 2017, he began incorporating pages of children’s coloring books into his paintings, shifting his work in an entirely new direction. Later, he substituted marking pens for paint, creating a visual rather than tactile texture that distinguishes most of his previous works.

There is magic in manifesting ideas. I love the process of making art – of turning something upside down and inside out – of trying variations on the same theme. I enjoy exploring the many possibilities of an image or technique. There isn’t a raw material I would turn away. I particularly like upcycling objects others might discard into art. I am drawn to color, but I also appreciate the absence of color. A good line is very seductive. I try to maintain a “what would happen if...” frame of mind. My goal is to remain open to as many possibilities and mediums as possible, to “show up” and see what happens.Ultimately, I’m fascinated by the inexplicable nature of the process of making and responding to art.