Abnormal Brain Activity

Sometimes I wonder if these explanations are a benefit or if they take away from the air of mystery surrounding the art.  I once heard it said that if your art tells a story then it is no longer true art but has become an illustration.  Maybe my art lives in a gap between these two schools of thought or maybe I just over think things...

I have been dreaming a lot lately and it seems that many of my dreams involve me being back in the Navy.  I show up on the base and report for duty only to discover that I don't have any uniforms.  In the latest dream all of the submarines were blue except for one really small one which was red.  Now when you figure that out please send me an email.  Until then I hope you enjoy this small 7.5 x 10.5" painting that to me, illustrates the activities taking place inside of my head during a dream.  My dream creatures float leisurely amidst a flurry of neural activity and seem to be in no hurry at all to go anywhere or be anything in particular.  Though they may be unusual looking they are content to simply be who and what they are.  I like that thought...  It is a good thing to be content, to be comfortable in my own skin just the way God made me and in just the place he wants me to be.  I could never fit into anyone elses mold anyway so why waste the effort.... 

"My Brightest Idea" - 36"x48"x1.5" - Acrylicy on Canvas - $525.00 SOLD

This is my fourth and final installment of the "Bright Idea" series.  Acrylic on canvas and measuring 36" x 48", this piece represents my struggle to break free of convention and capture that which truly inspires me, or most accurately identifies who I am as an artist.  The irony is that I am a Gemini and as such it is nearly impossible to hang a single label on my work.  (Look back at "Green With Envy" to see what I mean.)  I know that most artists develop a "style" and with that it becomes easy to identify their work visually.  It seems that we the viewer find a certain comfort in that ability.  I am just not sure that is the type of artist I want to be however.  More accurately, even if that is what I wanted I am not sure I have the patience or ability to settle into that mold.

The face in this painting is the artist.  He has two eyes but several more eyes scurry about near the bottom of the painting looking and searching for that next bit of inspiration.  Hoping again for that moment of discovery when the light bulb (represented as the bright idea) shines forth and illuminates my way to create something truly inspirational.  The large eye at the top should not be overlooked for it represents everyone around me (and God) who watches what I am doing and what I am creating.  Even though I try constantly to be true to myself it is very difficult at times not to conform to the expectation of others.  I am holding my own so far...  Otherwise all of my paintings would be topped with a layer of glitter just to make my wife happy!

Elemental Nobility

This is a 24" x 79" acrylic, painted on a refurbished hollow core door.  I am really enjoying painting on these door panels.  They are light weight, easy to hang, very durable, inexpensive and do not need to be framed.  In addition they are repurposed and that makes me smile.  Everthing and everyone deserves a second chance!

Once again I have tried to blend art and science into something meaningful.  There are six noble gasses and they are all, for the most part, inert and non-reactive.  I like to think this infers that they "play well with others".  In addition to showing the gasses floating lightly in the atmosphere I have included two physics equations.  The first on the left is the terminal velocity equation for objects in free fall.  There have been many times in my life when I have felt like I was "free falling" and it is comforting to know that even in these frightening moments, our life is ordered and has purpose.  The second equation is that of gravitational attraction between two objects and it is meant to be allegorical of the attraction between two people.  I am afraid however, that the equation for this human connection would be much more complex!

"Elemental Energies" 36"x79"x1.5" - Acrylic on hollow core door panel - $625.00 SOLD

When I was 22 I enlisted in the US Navy.  I ended up going to Nuclear Power School and working as a chemist on a fast attack submarine.  I was very interested in radiation, the way sub-atomic particles interacted with each other and the subsequent energies that were released.  This was a huge departure from the early bohemian lifestyle I had been leading as a starving artist and college student.  When I underwent the psych battery that all potential submariners have to pass, I found that I was over 80% right brained.  Recently, after the navy and 25 years in the corporate world I was tested again and this time the reults were much different.  I tested at almost a perfect 50-50 percentage between being right brained and/or left brained.  That's just not right...

What this has left me with, is a strong desire to incorporate science into my art.  With Elemental Energies (36" x 79" acrylic on refurbished door panel) I have tried to balance the beauty of color and composition with the incredible and sometimes destructive power of the atom.  In the mushroom cloud we see the energies of atomic particles illustrated (no, they are not sperm cells) and the elements listed as if there were part of the periodic table, are mostly resulting isotopes from fission reactions from an atomic bomb or nuclear reactor.  Perhaps the most powerful element of all is listed in the lower right hand corner; (Hu) or the "human" element.  Without this human element there would be no potential for the generation of almost limitless energy or sadly, such unbelievable destruction.

"Eviction Notice" 24"x79"x1.5" - Acrylic on hollow core door panel - $525.00 SOLD

 

This piece is the beginning of a new series of paintings that will be painted on re-purposed hollow core door panels.  We are fortunate to have a Habitat for Humanity here in Springfield and I am able to purchase these used doors for a very reasonable price and at the same time stay the course in my efforts to create "green" artworks.  Going green isn't about "saving the planet" for me.  I believe the earth has and will continue to protect itself from all influences be they natural or human.  I am a big believer however, in not being wasteful, which I am sure can be traced back to the influence my mother had on me as I was growing up.  She herself grew up in the depression years and the impact of those years never left her.  

Eviction Notice is a 24" x 79" acrylic piece that started out as a very small ballpoint pen doodle on a piece of scrap paper.  I created a mirror image of the drawing and blew it up to fit on the large door panel.  As I began to paint the figures in the foreground I noticed that in creating the mirror image I also created a new form in the center that I wasn't expecting.  To me, it appeared as a frontal view of a serpent's head complete with fangs.  With that in mind, the other two figures quickly evolved into representations of Adam and Eve in the Garden.  As the story goes, the serpent appeared and beguiled Eve who then disobeyed God.  Adam followed suit and they were soon "evicted" from their paradise.

Green With Envy

The evolution of my splatter paintings continue.  Thankfully is does not take millions of years and yes, I am a creationist and think Darwin while brilliant, was wrong.  These paintings started over 30 years ago in an attic studio with sheets nailed up to keep the mess down to a minimum.  My very first splatter painting was made with watercolors and a spoon so you can imagine that "over spray" was a real issue.  Today I have switched to acrylic washes and much more subtle ways of applying the paint to the watercolor paper.  I control the shapes of the "splotches" with air from a straw.  These paintings are very cathartic to me and I thoroughly enjoy the hunt for all the creatures among the splatters.  I have also begun to experiment with various background effects.  The green background in this painting was created with a sponge.  I am hoping to one day create a super sized version of these paintings but with all of the detail it could take a while to complete.  In "Green With Envy"  The disembodied eyes represent the human element (us) traveling though the chaos of life (the splatter creatures) and trying to find contentment with what we have instead of wishing for what other people have instead.  This can be a real effort and the struggle can leave us weary as represented by the partially closed eyes of the traveler.  I hope you, my reader, have found peace and contentment in your journey through life.

Mainstream Effect

Here is a piece that I just finished last night, Dec 27, 2010.  It is called "Mainstream Effect" and is a simple exercise in line and color.  This painting is acrylic on masonite and it measures 36" x 48".  There is no sub-story to this painting.  (Well there is but it is an inside joke so I will keep it to myself)  It is only meant to be colorful, vibrant and hopefully stimulating to the senses.  As you can see, this is not my normal style.  What I learned from painting this piece is that it is difficult to "let go" and let the brush strokes and blending stay organic.  As much as I wanted to keep it loose, I found myself smoothing, straightening, adjusting and so on.  As an adult it is difficult to color outside of the lines.  So perhaps this painting is a message to grown ups (Grups for you Star Trek fans) that sometimes we all need to loosen up a bit and not be so demanding of ourselves and of our friends and families.  Lighten up and remember that love and beauty are not found in perfection, but in our ability to see beyond our imperfections.

Converging Issues

Converging issues is a 3.5 x 7 ft. acrylic painting on masonite.  Although this painting is minimalistic in detail and texture it still makes a bold statement in its composition.  There are two faces in this picture, one is masculine and the other feminine.  The two faces are merging (converging) and they each share one eye and the mouth.  The Jungian psycholical theory of the anima and animas would be one approach to viewing this painting.  This painting is part of my personal collection, however, I would be happy to repaint it and prints are available.

Bi-Polar Disorder

Here is another painting from the mental illness series.  This one is a study of what used to be called "manic-depression".  You can clearly see the merger of brightness into darkness here and the many images (Critters) in the background can represent fleeting thoughts or mental imagery.  The brain is a mysterious organ and its workings difficult to understand.  I certainly do not claim this understanding but here is an attempt to visually represent some of its workings.  I will say that the process of defining the various critters in the background was very cathartic.

Fibanacci Sequence 2 - SOLD

This piece is the second in a series of  "green" paintings I created using recycled/renewable materials.  The frame was made out of wood reclaimed from old cabinetry pulled out of a home during a kitchen remodel and the canvas is an old shirt stretched over the frame and primed.  (Look closely and you can see the buttons and pockets)  While the painting is truly expressionistic, you will find that it contains symbols representing the first eight numbers of the Fibanacci sequence, a mathematical series also know as the "golden ratio".  While I will let you look up the details yourself, it is evident that in God's creation of this planet and all that is on it, that He used this sequence repeatedly.  This ~10" x 18" arcylic painting was sold at the "Art for Haiti Exhibit" at the National Street Gallery in Springfield, Missouri.

"The Dark Place" - 14"x18" - Watercolor on paper - Framed - $225.00 SOLD

The facial expression and dark muted colors of this piece help to create the "feel" I was looking for to express the struggle many people have with depression.  This is one many paintings from my mental illness series.  It is matted in all black which enhances the effect.  This ~8" x 10" watercolor is sold but still on display in the Hammons Hall fall exhibit in Springfield, Missouri.

Age of Exploration

One of my favorite concepts is that of discovery.  Whether it was the adventures of Lewis and Clark, Magellan or Columbus, the excitement of exploring new places never seems to fade.  As a child and now as an adult, I am still curious and searching for new discoveries.  Look closely at this painting.  The explorers have a look of determination and if you look at the details you can see why.  There are many creatures lurking in the background just waiting to be identified.  This ~15" x 20" acrylic wash on watercolor paper is currently on display in the Hammons Hall fall exhibit in Springfield, Missouri.