MY COLLECTIONS
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THE CREATIVE JOURNEY COLLECTION
The creative journey has taken me from my beginnings as an artist to my most recent collections. It is an era of experimentation and discovery.
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THE I AM NOT SIMPLY GREEN COLLECTION
(THIS COLLECTION AVAILABLE AT KIMBALL ARTS FESTIVAL AUG. 6-8, 2021)
PLANTS ARE BLUE, AND ROCKS ARE PURPLE.
These works are reminiscent of the 1960s paintings that my uncle created, but with a modern twist. I hope to elicit a retro vibe with an illustrative quality. The circles are added to give the work a bit of whimsy, and to allow us not to take them all too seriously.
Harry Chapin wrote a song, in 1978, titled “Flowers are Red,” which immediately resonated with me. This song had to have been written just for this collection!
Why do I paint plants red and turquoise, and blue and green? Because, "there are so many colors in the flowers, and I see every one." I tend to not like to follow the "rules" when painting, and love bold colors, this is reflected in so much that I do. Purple rocks? Of course! Turquoise leaves? Why not? Creativity does not have to follow "rules" - art is a medium for which we can lose all the constraints and restraints of expectation, and explore that which makes us happy; nothing more, nothing less.
For me, color is the primary thing that draws me to any art - color evokes a response that is memorable, pleasureable, and sometimes, emotional. It doesn’t always have to be “in your face” bright, it could be subtle, but I always prefer it to be surprising and interesting. I wish for people to look at these paintings and be drawn to them, maybe for some unknown reason, and every time they look at them they are surprised, and ultimately, happy.
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THE NATIONAL PARKS COLLECTION
(Have a favorite park? Let's talk about a commission!)
The creative center of this work focuses on our National Parks and public lands; a narrative that hopes to reawaken your intentional need to preserve these places, and to remind you of why this matters. This work is a tapestry of color and pattern moving from representation to abstraction that embodies the nature of the place. Each piece tells a story, whether it be the heart-aching beauty captured there, or an expression of the way that place is being exploited. This collection is for those who enjoy something which makes them think, and feel, and whisks them away from the ordinary.
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A SINGULAR FOCUS Collection
When the noise of the forest fades away, what are you left with? - singular trees, and for me, that singular focus of walking a path through those trees. The metaphorical symbolism of a tree’s strength, its roots holding on to the earth, its honesty and its ability to reach for the sky, is not lost on me, and it centers me when I need the quiet and the escape from the everyday. Similarly, when I enter my studio, all the noise of the day - the news, the social expectations, tensions, and pressures fade away and I am left with the simplicity of my singular focus. To paint a tree, a simple backdrop, a quiet reflection of a place, that is my escape, and it is perfection.
You will find a definitive abstraction to this work; this suits my aesthetic. Painting in abstraction allows me to be freer with my creativity, to avoid the constraints of having to fully, or realistically, capture a landscape or an idea. To me, the abstraction must allow the viewer to render his/her own interpretation, to create a visceral reaction to a specific palette, a pattern, or the addition of a simple tree.
This collection describes for the viewer a structurally uncomplicated background reminiscent of the seventies, which allows the viewer to “see the forest”, without all the noise. The retro vibe is reminiscent, for me, of an easier, simpler time, and the minimal landscape allows the viewer to connect to the more organic nature of the tree. The singular trees, in a more organic presentation, allow the viewer to tap into the feelings of strength, peace and serenity that nature gives us. My work reflects a bold style of painting; colors that pop, texture that reaches out to you and beckons you to touch it; power in simplicity. The power of a singular tree.
THE HEARTLAND COLLECTION
Exhibited at Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT Nov/Dec 2019
Road trips are a staple of my existence, indeed they are what replenish my soul and stir my sense of adventure and belonging in this incredible country. One of the things that draws me in the most as we drive through the vast landscapes, is the farmland and the big skies; this is the inspiration for this collection of paintings.
This land is the heart of our country. I relish the beauty of the plowed patterns of plants and soil, the golden waves of grain, and the endless, rolling green pastures. I think about the tough, hard people that work these lands day in and day out, with such care and love, and I am ever appreciative of them for they feed this nation and sustain us all. The grit and tenacity of the farmers and ranchers, as they create these beautifully patterned landscapes, is not lost on me and I connect to the beauty of it, and to the lives lived here.
The wide open lands give us huge wide open skies, and with that, patterns of cloud shapes that dance overhead, beckoning us to join in the fun, or conversely, warning us to take cover. The clouds bring the rain, and subsequently, the sustenance by which these lands prosper, and I acknowledge their importance, as well as their frivolity or the seriousness, in their allure. One cannot help but admire what is offered in these landscapes, I know I do.
Enjoy a drive through our heartland, roll down the window and feel the air, take in the fragrant landscapes, dance with the clouds, and feel the soul of the people who work there.
Land really is the best art. ~ Andy Warhol