Indiana Green 15 at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts

Tonight's the night! The 15th Anniversary edition of Indiana Green opens to the public at 6PM at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. I'll have one painting on view alongside a slew of local and area artists in a fantastic survey of contemporary art in the region. 

Indiana Green holds a special place in my heart as one of the first "big" shows I was involved with after getting to Milwaukee. I hope you can come out to the opening or make it to the show before it comes down in September. 

I'll be showing a painting from March of 2024, Island; Garden; Oasis; Eden. an interesting period in my painting from the last year and part of the reason why I thought it was a good choice for the Indiana Green.
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This painting was created in the month following the first batch of paintings for the Natural Remedy series which has turned out to be one-of-if-not-THE most successful series I've ever done (buy one today!). I love the art that's come from that series but anyone that looks at it can see a distinct difference in style from the art I had been producing, specifically the more painterly large scale art such as the Pandemic Painting series. I've always varied my styles and techniques, making sure I never stick with one thing too long, but the Natural Remedy series was a level of focus and intention that I hadn't employed much in my painting before.

That's probably a good thing...and it's resulted in more consistent sales than I've ever seen (yay) but it also led me to a point where, once the series was "done", I had to come up with something else. Now, in my studio a series is never really done. I'm always thinking of ways to extend or expand upon what I've done before, but I wanted to "stop" at least for a bit, and remove the approach that had become somewhat formulaic at that point. I think the paintings from Natural Remedy were still high-quality, but after so many it can feel a little monotonous or lazy to keep doing one thing, even if successful.

Island; Garden; Oasis; Eden. was a return to more painterly techniques and some tropes from the Pandemic Painting era of work.  

Generalized figures occupy a somewhat strange and surreal landscape; recognizable in ways but always feeling a bit out of reach; like a dream you can't quite remember. The figures go about their business, unconcerned with the viewer, but oddly unconcerned with each other as well. There's a sense of calm and isolation, but also an oppressive heat from the warm colors occupying the top 2/3s of the canvas. An eye stares at the viewer from just below what seems to be the sun...but is that a sun? If so what are the other two red orbs in the sky? As the viewer we're not entirely sure where we stand. Are we part of the scene on the other side of the pool mirroring the standing white figure? Are we voyeurs hidden in the surrounding foliage; a potential danger to the exposed figure? Are we disembodied beings invisible to the figures? Two are or appear to be toweling dry but they face opposite directions. The two figures lying down appear to hold hands behind the standing figure, but they also appear almost lifeless. Are the figures simply lounging or is there more to their relationship? Why are the separated by the standing figure?

This painting is a great example of what I think makes my art unique and ultimately successful. I like to present a scene that can be enjoyed for aesthetic reasons, but when looking closely, narratives, relationships, and questions emerge about what the viewer is faced with. Landscapes create a setting that feels like a place you've been, but also is  intangible; unable to be placed firmly in reality. I want the viewer to be attracted and then enveloped with the image, absorbed in the possibilities, and encouraged to investigate. I have my own thoughts about what the scene depicts and what each character represents, but I only want to leave bread crumbs. If I want people to think a certain way, I can tell them exactly what I want the painting to say. If I want people to truly engage, I give them bits and pieces that require threads from the viewer to connect. I want the viewer to inject a bit of themselves into the painting, this way, every time its shown or seen, it becomes something slightly new, perhaps more powerful, perhaps connecting to or informing a viewer in a unique way that brings something more important than just an image I put on a canvas. 

Another aspect of this painting that exemplifies some of my common trends is the title. Island; Garden; Oasis; Eden. on it's face indicates that the painting is about paradise. Islands, gardens, oasis and Eden are all words used to describe beautiful and desirable locations. However, they also carry some baggage: Eden, while a paradise, was forbidden; An island, while potentially beautiful, is also isolated and no one wants to be deserted on an island; an Oasis, similarly, carries a dichotomy of being desirable, but also requiring being surrounded by a desert. Paired with the intangible unease of of the scene, the painting and title seem to question whether this things truly are the paradise they originally appear to be.

When I am on vacation I often consider the locals you encounter. While I relax without a care in the world, they go about their everyday life. While I day-drink and absorb the sun, they're running errands like it's any normal weekday. The stark realization that paradise for some is nothing of the sort for others always makes me wonder what "paradise" really is. Is it some far off magical land where no one has a care in the world? Or is it more down to earth; something more akin to the pleasantries of everyday life? I'm not saying that we enjoy monotonous errands, illness, or minor annoyances, but would we, on the contrary, really enjoy a life without any conflict at all? Would I make art if life was perfect and I had no desire for more? Would it be any good? Are negatives required to appreciate the positives when encountered or can you appreciate perfection even if nothing ever goes wrong?

​Island; Garden; Oasis; Eden is available for purchase through the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts during the duration of the show. Feel free to contact me with any questions.