Science
Unconsciously we swim in the middle of a world of electrons, viruses, quarks, atoms and galaxies. I want to capture the juxtaposition of the worlds that lie beneath a microscope and beyond a telescope. Flash Gordon was my early childhood comic hero and his travels to distant galaxies sparked an interest that has evolved a bit from his exploits to an appreciation of the exciting creativity of scientific investigation.
Lexicon
The written alphabet was civilization’s first abstract communication form. As the actual shape of each letter became divorced from images of things as in Hieroglyphics it required abstract thinking. The history of writing is the story of civilization and the dissemination of knowledge. As a graphic designer I worked extensively with type setting and many diverse fonts.
Water
These paintings are based on the many manifestations of this element. From shallow creek beds to currents deep within the oceans and estuaries water is essential. We frequently do battle with too little or too much of this precious stuff. Its conservation is critical to the survival to most all species of life on our planet.
Other
Sometimes I’m just intrigued by something that doesn’t fit into a series, or perhaps it may be the start of a new series. My titles give you some idea of the thinking behind the image. Titles for my work normally spark the imagery and almost always come first. As a viewer you may not need to know the inspiration of my work. Give up the security of recognizable objects and become an active participant. Let go of words, feel the color, the lines and the shapes. I urge you to find your own story in my work.
Prints
I was introduced to printmaking by the late Ann Otis and an artist in Iceland and have since embraced the practice. I don’t print editions. There is only the one print which may be embellished with collage, solar prints, marginalia or graphic marks.
I print either a collagraph or a monotype. The collagraph process involves building up the surface of a thin MDF board in a collage manner as opposed to a reductive process like woodcuts or etching. I glue paper shapes, gesso or gels and natural materials like corn silk onto the plate. I brush the ink on the plate in a painterly manner. It is then run through my press. Prints made by this process are subtly textured and very painterly, They are designated E.V. for Edition Variable. Monotypes are created by painting ink onto a flat plastic plate. It yields only one print. And again, it may be further embellished as are the collagraphs. These are designated 1/1.
More Print images coming soon!
