Friday, February 16, 2018

New Work

Here is my latest batch of work going back to last June. All photographs were taken by RL Photo Studio of Burlington, Vermont.

This first piece, Binding Light (1), evolved over time to become something much more spiritual than I originally intended. I find that I am continually drawn to geometric shapes with random angles and sides. I like how they are all different and I like adding to that difference by painting them differently. As I paint them I am always thinking how their uniqueness is a metaphor for the uniqueness of all beings, the infinite variety of life. Consequently, I see this work more as portraiture than abstract art.

As I was working on this piece, I started to see how, if I painted the last, outermost pentagon the same color as the section in the corner it could infer that the same color (or light would exist around every other shape continuing beyond the unseen corners out to infinity. In this way, I feel it is a depiction of the nature of reality, the insepartablity of all beings that exist everywhere.
Binding Light (1)
mixed media on board 
48" x 41.5"
2018
Binding Light (2) is a conceptual continuation of (1), intending to show what it looks like to have multiple "beings" within the painting. I had changed the last pentagon to white after I realized that it made more sense since white light is the source of all other colors; additionally, both The Tibetan Book of the Dead (The Great Liberation Through Hearing) and people who have died and come back to life talk about going toward a white light.
Binding Light (2)
mixed media on board 
48" x 41.5"
2018
Carlota was originally started, and "finished," in 2013. Over the summer I pulled it back out to work on it again, this time adding the zigzag pattern on top.
Carlota
mixed media on board 
41.5" x 41"
2013/2017
Here is what Carlota looked liked before I reworked it.
December 2013
mixed media on board
2013
The same with Conundrum with Blue, it was the second zigzag piece. I decide to make larger zigzags this time. Not sure which is better.
Conundrum with Blue
mixed media on board 
42.5" x 46"
2013/2017
And this is what Conundrum with Blue looked liked earlier.

Untitled
mixed media on board
2013
Homage is, obviously, an homage to the many other artists that have inspired me while still adding my own style. I am not sure why but I find it really important to use a different color for each ring. I believe the aesthetics would be better if it had a pattern but I feel the changes make it more mysterious, adding questions to the viewers mind.
Homage
mixed media on board 
48" x 41.5"
2017
There must be a source light but I have no idea what it looks like or what the radiants look like either. This is an attempt at depicting it.
Source Light
mixed media on board 
48" x 41.5"
2017 
These next three are inspired by my bumper stickers ideas.
Grayless
mixed media on board 
11" x 36"
2017  
Inductance
mixed media on board 
11" x 36"
2017
Surprise Party
mixed media on board 
13.5" x 24.5"
2017
Physicianification was first "completed" in 2013, but stayed in storage for four years.
Physicianification
mixed media on board 
17" x 36" x1.5
2013/2017
2013


These last three were inspired by work I'd seen in NYC just before making them, though, if you see where my idea started you would not believe they where related. It worked more as a mental jumping off point. It was nice to find a good use for small scraps I had laying around the shop for years but couldn't bring myself to giving away for firewood.
Stack (1)
 acrylic and gouache on wood
7" x 10" x 2"
2017

Stack (2)
 acrylic and gouache on wood
8.5" x 27" x 2.5"
2017

Stack (3)
 acrylic and gouache on wood
23" x 12" x 2"
2017