These are full size – not cropped.
This was a self portrait from 1972. The original was a drawing and will be included in a drawing section. I had pint size cans of oil based black light paints. I did the painting in white on a black canvas and then applied the paint. For the colors to look bright – even with florescent paints – they need to be painted on white.
This oil painting was from 2007. It was at 5 by 5 foot. I still feel movement from the colors and the interaction between the palate knife and oils. The life in this painting can now only be seen digitally. At least this painting didn’t have the cold death of being hung on a museum wall or existing in a damp dark corner of some basement. This painting died in the heat of battle by the hands of its creator – the only honorable death any painting can forgo. It fought like a true warrior with a fierce bravery as the wood stretcher slowly splintered in defiance. Its experience is still present as the pain from destruction was an important part of our dance as was the creation.
Inner Substance… at times I had problems naming something (but not this one) I’ve had a kind of abstract interaction with something devoid of words. Something about this experience – even with the plant life vegetation present – takes place in the womb. I can’t recall the dimensions, but it was at least 7 foot long. I did this when living in Florida in 1995 when my daughter was visiting. She made some friends with a young couple near home just starting a household. I took a special interest in them as the emotion they communicated feelings about this piece. They asked my daughter to ask me if it was for sale. I told them that it was not just before offering it to them as a gift.
Here’s another painting I did in Florida in 1995. It’s about 3 foot square. Another palate knife painting and something very quiet in its movements. But most important to me – probably because of the balance and distribution of color – is a sense of honesty I feel as the tumblers of light sensors in my eyes communicate its form and rebuild the memories of its coming. This painting reminds me of who I am every morning and every evening as I go to bed as it looks down at me from my bedroom wall.
This one goes back to 1988 when I lived in Delaware. People sometimes ask me about the abstractions and what they are or symbolize. Any answer I might offer on this carries little if any weight. At times I am much more impressed with any references of abstractions of others than what my initial reactions to them were. If they offer multiple interpretations I find that exciting then I will accept their gift. The multiple symbolism this one has offered does suggest the promise of many gifts.
Whispering Women was from my art student days in 1967. This is the oldest painting of mine that is still in my possession. It was a fine painting from my Jackson Pollock phase. I layered some pallet knife work first and then did the splatters. Have the same good feeling about this as the day it was done. The name, technique and colors all seem to work together.
I was going to a psycho analyst when I did this one in 1992. I’m sure that may seem like a funny story to some. The reason I mention it was because I took a few of my paintings in to show her. She singled this one out. She said something about the lizard creature as a harp with the hand tangled with the broken string. She offered to hang it in her office for a while. Something about the broken string and being out of harmony. I liked the idea of it hanging there but it was such a new item that I wanted to give it a while. As it turned out I was long gone from her service by the time I would have been willing to let it venture out on its own.
I named this one The Queen of Cups after a Tarot card. It was because of the watery imagery behind it that made me think of her and to evoke her name in an act of creation. This is a painting where other people came back with some images that I later adopted. This was done in 1988 and is about 4 or 5 foot high.
Here’s another one that bit the dust. I liked a lot of things that were going with it and if I had kept with it probably could have made it work. It was big and bulky with three dimensional items attached to it. I just didn’t have the space and time to work with it so it went bye bye. But looking back at it…
This one from 1995. Seems like I was quite productive that year. The colors were working good here and almost suggesting a three dimensional shape
This one I did in 1993. Not sure of the size but think about 3 by 4 feet. My daughter in Philly has this one. She did a road trip to Michigan with my two granddaughters. Quite amazing all the reference points one can have with inanimate objects. Kind of like they have a life and experiences of their own.
Seems to have some how been a reoccurring theme. There was something in 1995 I was trying to play thu.
Done in 1992. About 2 by 3 foot.
