It doesn't get too neat. You have to train yourself to make images that go beyond the obvious. Those paintings that don't work are the ones where I've gotten rid of all the contradictions. I am trying to leave more space for it in my work instead of making them exist in one world at a time. There is intellectual rigor involved in making art, says Cogswell.
Art is problem solving in an extremely complex way.
You hold multiple possibilities in suspension as you move forward toward some sort of goal. As Cogswell considers further abstracting the letters, his desire to break free from representation is wrestling with his desire to keep his work somewhat accessible by including the human figures. It is very important to me for someone to see my work and react to it. I want my paintings to reach people. I want my work to have resonance.