Subject & MeaningRepresentational Paintings
The act of making art has always been one of my greatest teachers. Sometimes I feel it necessary to return to representation and figuration, my artistic roots, to gain a new level of understanding, a reassurance that the work will continue to grow as long as I show up every day and make something. Quite often the work speaks metaphorically revealing subconscious patterns of behavior and thought.
|
|
|
Eostre
Oil on canvas / 24”w x 36”h / SOLD
Such incredible posture and restrained grace yet she has a slightly repugnant facial expression. Is it because of what she is listening to? Or could it be caused by “the rejected harmony” of the feminine principle as referenced in her name - Eostre - Germanic Goddess of Spring whose name was changed to Easter.
“Students of mythology find that when the feminine principle is subjected to sustained attack it often submerges. Under the water (where organic life began) it swims through the subconscious of the dominant male society occasionally bobbing to the surface to offer a glimpse of the rejected harmony. -- Women’s Encyclopedia of Mythology. Walker, Barbara. Agripa, 43,49 Western art - historical and contemporary - is chock-full of renderings of the sexualized, objectified female made for the male gaze. The classic pose, fertile green garment, bather-esque setting speaks to so much about traditional tenets of classical Western art yet she is expressing her distaste for tradition. 2018 CPRS, Inc. Purchase Prize, Maple Valley Arts Fest, Maple Valley, WA |
|
Three Graces
Oil on canvas / 30" diameter
Contemporary version of the Three Graces, the mythic Greek sisters, Beauty, Joy, and Abundance. Dressed in blue, the elemental color of water, these contemporary Graces are emotional and deep. The young man is about to take a journey into the collective conscious with the Three Graces as his guide. Our hope for a future of beauty, joy, and abundance rests in the hands of the next generation.
2018 Juror’s Choice Award, Maple Valley Arts Fest, Maple Valley, WA |
|
Glitter Girl
Oil on wood / 20" diameter
Manet’s Victorine reminds me of female empowerment and choice, the past/present/future represented at once. Victorine a painter in her own right, and his favorite model, holds a conch-shell pink cape used by matadors to attract their prey. She also holds a sword, piercing the boundaries of the painting. A man on a horse about to spear a bull floats in the background yet she is alone, appears fearless, and gazes directly at the viewer, novel for the time.
Working with young people has been an incredible joy. I believe in their greatness. In their creativity. In their ingenuity. In their compassion. In their determination. In their kindness. In their higher level of consciousness. |
|
XXX: Portrait of the Artist as an Old Lady (After Eric Fischl, After James Joyce)
Oil on masonite / 48"w x 96"h
XXX is a burger joint and hang out for car-enthusiasts located in Issaquah, WA. Scheduled and pop-up car shows happen there on weekends, especially during the summer months. The photo for this painting was taken in late summer of 2012.
The title also riffs on Eric Fischl’s painting “Portrait of the Artist as an Old Man” in which Fischl depicts his elderly self painting outdoors late on a sunny afternoon. However, the elder artist isn’t wearing pants nor underwear but covering his genitals with a newspaper; a pervy old guy painting out in the middle of nowhere. |
|
Isle of Man
Oil on wood / 18"w x 22"h
The composition of this trio, with the woman in the center, can be outlined in the shape of an open book - as is the tension. A simply-clad weathered old man is firmly planted in the middle of a path on which a younger, new-to-the-scene couple squeeze by, heads down avoiding confrontation. The woman is subjugated by the old man with his confrontation, by her partner with his putting himself first, and by herself with her meekness and victimhood.
|
|
The Dock
Oil on canvas / 10"sq / SOLD
Shadow Lake Nature Preserve hosts an annual event during which local artists work on site for one day and the following two weeks on work inspired by the Preserve. The Dock, Shadow Lake Frog Pond, and In The Neighborhood were created for the 2017 event.
|
|
Shadow Lake Frog Pond
Oil on canvas / 10"sq / SOLD
|
|
In The Neighborhood
Oil on canvas / 10"sq / SOLD
|
|
Leaving Bakersfield
Oil on canvas / SOLD
|
|
The Boys
Oil on canvas / 72"w x 40"h
Young monks on a dais chatting and being social teenagers, while members of the congregation sat below on the floor in prayer and meditation. I loved the bright colors, the light on the statue of the Buddha in the background.
The composition: What you see on the canvas is a classical composition of a symmetrical triangular design. The repetition of the pyramid creates rhythm, flow, and tension. To me, it speaks of many things at once: cultivating a spiritual practice, imperfections, vitality and beauty. The scale: this handmade stretched canvas is the same size as the top of a twin bed and refers to the individualized path of inner reflection and spiritual growth. |
|
Griz
Oil on canvas / 16"w x 20"h / SOLD
|
|
Payette Lake, Idaho
Oil on canvas / 24"sq / SOLD
2017 CPRS, Inc. Purchase Prize, Maple Valley Arts Fest, Maple Valley, WA
|