"Precept Upon Precept" - 38.5" x 72" - Acrylic on two hollow core door panels (Diptych)

There is a passage in Isaiah that reads as follows:  "Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"   This verse speaks to the way we learn.  Knowledge is not given all at once, but instead we learn slowly and progressively.  We build on previous successes and we also learn from our mistakes.  We start with a foundation and then build upon it.  This is the given process whether growing in worldly knowledge or in spiritual wisdom.  We lay a foundation then start adding layers.  This painting is a representation of that process.  Layer upon layer of paint, building to the finished painting.  You will notice that I kept the color pallet to a minimum which is always difficult for me!  I wanted the structure to speak more than the color in this piece but that yellow still has quite a voice...  The numbers and symbols represent the contribution mathematics and language have had upon our ability to grow intelectually.  I believe they represent the "blocks" with which all of our learning experiences are built with.  Will we build wisely?  If we allow God to become our foundation and build upon Him, then the answer is yes...

"Guardians of Peace" 40" x 10' 8" Acrylic on four wooden door panels

I created this piece specifically for show at the Driskill Gallery on the SBU campus in Bolivar, MO.  The painting (all 11 feet of it...) is now hanging and the reception for this opening is tonight!  I intially started this piece with the idea that it would grow over time by adding new panels to the ends or even above or below to create a scrabble board type effect.  I still like that concept but maybe not for this particular painting as it sort of took on a life of its own during the creative process and ended up turning into something I had not anticipated but have decided to live with!  The title all started with the dove (yes, that is a dove...) in the second panel from the left.  Then as figures started to emerge I saw them as watchers or guardians; maybe even as angels checking out whats happening down here and occasionally protecting us from ourselves and helping us salvage what little "peace" we have left.  This is my largest painting to date and I look forward to creating even larger work in the future.

New Venue!!

My newest venture has been to start showing work at businesses in downtown Springfield, MO.  My newest venue, is Kiss My Gas Scooters at 212 South Campbell between Walnut and College.  Joe Berrer and his wife Shanna have a great shop with plenty of wall space for my larger pieces.  With the rainbow of scooter colors and the colorful art scattered around it is certainly an energetic space.  Come by any time to look at the scooters and browse my artwork!  Here is the link to Joes site:  www.kissmygasscooters.com

"Lust of the Flesh" - Acrylic on door panel - 36" x 40" x 1.5"

This painting represents a break through for me in that I have taken a style originally meant to vaguely represent geological rock formations and allowed it to evolve or mutate into something new and different. While this painting still has defined "layers", they now each represent something other than just abstracted rock strata. If you look at the first layer on the left you will see the shape of a female figure. The blue layer in the middle contains a gawking face and the greenish orange layer to the right contains a figure turning away as to avoid the entire situation. In addition the blue face contains several red/magenta circles meant to represent lustful thoughts. An additional face (looking but not looking) in the man turning away, shows that a part of him wants to look back even as he averts his gaze.

"Circular Logic" - Acrylic on door panel - 35" x 30" x 1.5"

I continued with the center band in this painting, however, I utilized the concept of a fault line from my previous painting, by displacing portions of the band as if tectonic plates had shifted.  I incorporated circles instead of lines in this painting as an attempt to further the evolution of a concept.  I added directional lines on the circles which lead to a new type of signature for this series.  You will also note that there is a distinguishable face in the lower left as I began to pull form from the organic.  The changes in this painting led directly to a bolder use of definable content in my next painting called "Lust of the Flesh". 

In my discussion during the last few posts, I keep mentioning the phrase "evolution of a painting".  I am trying to let my work grow and expand into something deeper and more personal.  As an attempt to do this I am forcing myself to make changes in each painting that will force it to become something at least slightly different than the last.  Not just in composition and color but also a painting that stretches my own boundaries of creativity.  I want to create more....  I want to know what is really inside of me.

"Fault Line" - Acrylic on door panel - 40" x 32" x 1.5"

To be honest, I approached this painting very openly hoping to find some magic and see this series of paintings begin to evolve.  Once again I wanted to use bright and vivid colors with even a little more saturation this time.  I chose to balance the bright colors with the whites, greys and black in the center of the painting.  While I like this painting it does not represent the title as much as I wish it did.  I hung on to this thought and incorperated it into the next painting called "Circular Logic".  A face emerges in one of the lower black lines of this painting and although it was accidental, I liked it and added a face into Circular logic as well.  I didn't know it yet but the evoloution had begun!!

"Earth Borne" - Acrylic on door panel - 40" x 28" x 1.5"

There was a gallery showing recently that was a benefit for a local organization that collects food for the hungry.  The theme was "Til All Are Fed".  My challenge was to create a piece for this exhibit that would represent this concept and yet fit into my current series of paintings which abstractly represents earths geological formations.  I chose to depict earths fertility through soil, a root system and then ultimately the fruit of this growth process.  Whether the soil provides grain, vegetables, fruit or even grass; it not only provides food for us, but for all of the earths creatures as well.  Many people have found this painting to be disturbing and hard to interpret.  Once I explain the concept however they seem to find it a little easier to pallet.  The colors at the top imply growth and fertility, but are they representative as well?  I will give you a hint, think extreme close up...

"Exuberance" Acrylic on door panel - 42" x 30"

I have to wonder where some of these titles come from.  Sometimes I think I am reflecting a state of mind more than an actual concept that defines the work itself.  I am continuing the series of paintings that relate to geology, specifically the earths crust and rock layers/formations.  This one is much brighter and perhaps this is the reason for the title "Exuberance".  The entire painting was created using a sponge, credit card and the pizza cutter (my new favorite tool) to apply the straight lines and grid pattern.  I am fascinated by the hidden treasures the earth has to offer via "veins" of precious metal and hidden jewels.  These things we call precious are hidden from our view until they are dug out and revealed.  In order to excavate, there must first be a desire to search for these buried treasures.  It is the same with people you know...  We all have special gifts and talents (virtues) that often lie dormant until just the right person comes along, seeking that very thing which we have inside of us.  At that moment, when our "buried treasure" is desired, it comes bursting forth to supply the need and desire of that persons heart. 

"What Lies Beneath" (30 x 30 on repurposed door panel)

So I have discovered yet another paint application tool.  This time it is a (drum roll please) PIZZA CUTTER!  What a great tool for making long straight (or curved) skinny lines...  I also used a piece of coat hanger to make lines in this painting as well.  This painting started out with the concept of an iceburg hence the blue colors.  It took a sharp turn somewhere and I ended up exploring the juxtiposition between organic forms and geometric design.  One of the greatest thrills in abstract painting is watching the painting evolve and take on a life of its own.  Look for more paintings similar to this one, with even more vibrant colors, to be posted soon.

String Theory (12 x 16 on repurposed canvas)

This is a very small painting for me but I like the results.  The canvas is stretched around a 1.5 in deep frame (gallery wrap) and the painting continues around all sides.  Quantum mechanics, vibrating lines and multiple dimensions all play into String Theory.  String Theory is a contender for the "Theory of Everything" and that my friend is a big bite to swallow, for to understand everything means to understand God Himself.  Not to worry however, "for though now we see through a glass, darkly; one day we shall see him face to face".  Then we can sit down and have him explain it all in detail!

"Aquifer #2" (40 x 28 x 1.5 acrylic on repurposed door panel)

Number two in the "geological" painting series.  This one utilized much bolder colors than Aquifer #1 and I have added bluish glass beads to the water layer for a texture effect and to pick up the light better.  This piece reminds me of southwest desert landscapes, especially those of Arizona and New Mexico.  This may be the most "orderly" abstract painting that I have ever created.  Some of the rocks are very realistic and yet the abstraction comes forth as I attempt to portray my perception of what a raging underground river might actually look like if we could see it.

"Aquifer #1" (50 x 36 x 1.5 acrylic on repurposed door panel)

This is the first in a series of "geological" paintings.  I won't even attempt to catagorize it except to say that it is abstracted reality.  Of course, many would say that all abstract art starts with something, therefore, all abstract art is abstracted reality.  Problem solved...  I am very intrigued by what lies beneath us.  One of my favorite movies as I was growing up, was "Journey To the Center of the Earth" (the original one with Pat Boone).  I still like to explore caves and look at rocks and wonder about their journey.  Underground rivers or aquifers are very interesting to me.  Some of them are very large and flow for great distances before erupting from the earths surface as a spring of what is usually very fresh and pure water.  Somehow they remind me of the earths arterial system if you can image that.  (Hmmmmm...  Living water??)  For those who are interested, this piece was created using a sponge to apply the color field, a small squeeze bottle for the cracks and a small foam brush to "dab" in the metallic jewels under the water.  The water was poured onto the panel in layers to create a more organic look though it is hard to see the layers in this photo.  The painting is coated with two layers of liquitex acrylic gloss varnish.

Solar Storm (20 x 30 acrylic on canvas)

This painting was inspired by the Mayan Prophecy of doom for 12/2012 as well as the Bad Company song Burnin' Sky.  (I told you the 70's influenced me!!)  I was asked to paint this very quickly and as a demonstration of my techniques during the July first Friday artwalk outside of Randy Bacon Studio's and Figment gallery.  It was very hot and I had some serious competition as the painting cockroaches from the zoo were working just across from me. (really??) 

Since I was rushed I was using liquid acrylics, a credit card, squeeze bottles and paint squeezed straight from the tube onto the painting.  It was what you might call an observed exercise in automatic drawing, but with an idea hanging out in the back of my mind.??  I see a large citi-scape relected on water with the Burnin' Sky evidencing the fulfillment of both Mayan and Biblical prophecies as the sun reeks havoc on the earth and its inhabitants

Gemini Ponders Diety (36 x 79 acrylic on hollow core door panel)

This post is a little late as I finished the painting back in May then forgot to post it!  If you scroll down (or back or whatever) you will find its sister piece called Eviction Notice.  These pieces are very similar in that I painted the black symetrical (ink blot) outline over the background.  I like the quasi "pop art" vibe to these paintings, perhaps it is the boldness of the black with the crisp edges that make me feel that way.  The particular image in the painting has been represented in at least five of my works.  Look back at "My Brightest Idea" for an idea of what I am talking about. 

Since I am a Gemini and a Christian as well, this painting is somewhat autobiographical as it represents the artist meditating on his God, which is represented by the third eye in the upper part of each side of the composition.  In addition, the background colors take me back to the early seventies which definately had an influence on me during my youth.

Fade To Black (40 x 60 acrylic diptych on hollow core door panels)

This painting is what the late Bob Ross might call a "happy accident".  It started again, with two panels and a black squeeze bottle.  I didn't like the composition so I decided to try and scrub away the black lines with a large grouting sponge.  This created a semi black (and white) mess resembling a Franz Kline painting.  I liked it.  In fact I almost left it black and white but then decided to try adding some color.  To do this I used an old dish washing sponge.  You know the small yellow one with a green scrubby side...  This method started creating very thin layers of color which I added to over and over until it looked finished.  Then I brought the black sqeeze bottle out to finish it.  It is very different and one of the things I like about it is that I get to use the word Gestalt to describe it.  Thinking of this expressive word led me to the title.