Artist Statement

I’m not a painter…

In spite of the fact that you are viewing many of my works, which are primarily created using oil paints, I don’t consider myself a painter. I think of myself as a communicator, like a speechwriter, newspaper reporter, orator, or even in some aspects, a politician. I compose my ideas and try to present them in a manner that others can experience the way I feel while creating the composition. But where a speechwriter or reporter uses words to ply their trade, I am an artist, therefore I use the language of imagery to state my feelings and opinions. This imagery may vary from photography, to painting with realism, to figurative abstract, or even involve elements of found-object collage and assemblage. It may also vary from simple emotions like joy and contentment to more complex feelings such as fear, love and sadness. It is the process of communicating my ideas that is important more than the media used. In fact, it is the creative process of the communication that is important to me. While I am working on a piece, I am emotionally tied to it to the point of distraction. It becomes the sole focus of what I am doing. However, when I bring a piece to completion, the emotional attachment dissolves. I don’t feel the post partum effect that some artists talk about as much as I feel as though I’ve committed a captured moment of my essence and released it to the ether. The way a spoken word floats ever outward into space.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

squash bouquet


Squash Bouquet
12 x 15 silverprint b/w photograph

This is part of a series of black and white photos that I did with an autumn theme. I wanted to do something seasonal yet with a twist. So I took the usual floral and still life and combined them using the popular fall vegetables such as butternut squash, zucchini and a small pumpkin (and a cucumber which found it's way in somehow). This photo was taken on 100 iso Kodak T Max film with a Nikon N 65 camera. Developed in Dektol and printed on Ilford fibre paper.
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Sunday, October 26, 2008

Like Soldiers in the Sun

Like Soldiers in the Sun
Pastel on Museum Board
15 x 20 inches

This piece is based on a photograph I took in the Oregon District of Dayton Ohio on a sunny late afternoon. I was drawn by the way the boxes were in such a perfect line and standing motionless in the bright light. the legs seemed to give them a living quality which made it feel as though they should be walking to the shadier side of the building for some relief from the heat. The photograph reminded me of the work of Edward Hopper, so I wanted to replicate some of the aspects of his paintings in my drawing. I feel that this is accomplished by the flatness of the color planes and the stark sense of lights and darks.
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Monday, July 7, 2008

Freedom From Speech

Freedom From Speech
18 x 24 inches
Ink wash on museum board 2008

This work is based on the 2002 beheading of journalist Daniel Pearl by al-Qaida operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The photos and subsequent remorseless confession by Khalid reinforce to me the price of our first amendment and truly what a powerful tool it is. How diligently it needs to be protected and maintained.

The medium is Higgins black magic india ink and Higgins drawing ink (Red) applied in broad gestural strokes with the dark areas being built up through layers and increasing the amount of pigment in the wash. The red wash was applied last to bring it more to the forefront via the overlapping areas of the image. A drybrush 'swash' of dirty black / red mix is meant to reference the blood spray at the moment of execution.

As always, I welcome and appreciate any comments on the artwork.
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Thursday, July 3, 2008

Peace From Above

Peace From Above
Oil and Acrylic on canvas
24 x 48 inches. 2008

Another 'statement' piece, I attempt to illustrate the principal of the price that peace can require. The dove, complete with olive branch, drops the Paveway smartbombs upon some nameless city requiring 'cleansing' to enforce the idea of peace.

The blue background on this painting is a metallic acrylic that positively glows under the light. It's a shame that the full effect is lost in the photograph. This causes the dove to pop off of the picture plane giving it a great 3D appearance.

As a side note, this painting was displayed at a local show. At the opening reception, I noticed one man in particular paying close attention to the dove's armament. Upon talking to him, I find that he was on the team of engineers that designed the guidance system for the bombs!
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

New Art! Noble Peace Price

Noble Peace Price
Oil on Canvas
15 x 30 inches 2008

This piece was created to further reinforce the imagery which shows that peace is often purchased with blood. I wanted to reference the war posters of the 1960's and 70's in a way that was, at once, direct. But at the same time, I wanted to leave no doubt that this image is from the present day. I try to accomplish this with the retro floral motif but with a modified color palette that would be different from the popular color schemes of 40 years ago.
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Response to April 15th

Because I Can!
Mixed Media on Canvas
10 x 20 inches

This painting is in response to the censoring of my large scale painting. See my April 15th blog entry for the full story. This piece was created to display in the place of the piece that was removed from my showing, but the gallery managers asked that I not hang this piece either!

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Catching up.


I wanted to take a bit of time to post several paintings from the last year to get things caught up. I've got several new paintings currently in various stages of completion which I'll post soon! I would be grateful to receive any commentary or critique on these works.

The Good Shepherd
Oil on canvas 36 x 36 inches
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