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Featured
I started with more of a plan than usual; a pair of figures adorned in ceremonial dress standing in front of a multi-colored brick wall; and I think this desire for specific clothing led to employing paint markers at times rather than a brush. This provided immediacy, but also more control and dexterity and provides a contrast to the blocky shapes and organic figures that fill the rest of the canvas.
While I call myself a painter and prefer making things that are larger scale, a good deal of what I actually do is more in the drawing realm. It's all a bit pedantic but, at the same time, I think it illuminates some of what makes my drawings a bit more on the playful side, and I think the strongest paintings are those which integrate that. There's a brevity and playfulness to my drawings that captures the carefree nature of their creation. Marks are made quickly without hesitation or concern for their longevity whereas painting, at least large-scale, comes with a bit more weight. It's not a matter of care, but moreso material and scale...it's simply easier to cover a small space, make a quick line, or pull a marker across paper than it is to fill a 5x6' sheet of canvas. I'd say it's like the difference between casual conversation and rehearsed dialogue; the rehearsed material may be "better" formed or more meaningful, but it's missing something if it doesn't feel natural. |
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With the recent Natural Remedy series, titling has become a bit more of an afterthought than usual. As part of a series, the paintings have relatively formulaic titles and while that makes the "wrapping up" phase easier, it removes one element that I've typically utilized to frame the message of the painting for the viewer.
I always start with a simple title; in this instance "Waiting for the Boats to Come In". At this point in the process I wasn't finished fleshing out the figures and wasn't entirely sure where the painting was ultimately headed outside of a harbor scene with figures. At this stage the title informs the scene to a degree but doesn't add a whole lot in terms of narrative or emotion. As I continued painting a few of the figures became a little more defined with the center red character taking on some elements of the boat itself. Other figures filled this sort of secondary role, filling space but remaining a bit less individualized, almost a repeating texture. The character on the right stood out from the start; a bit more front-facing with a more humanistic pose, this character breaks up the statuesque characters that almost become silhouettes. Read more HERE. |
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I didn't have many expectations for this painting. After finishing a successful piece, the next one often starts with a bit more melancholy; a lack of conviction. What are the odds this next painting will bring the joy and intrigue of the one just completed?
I started this with a painting by NC Wyeth stuck in head. At first, I resisted the urge to incorporate that inspiration as I initially wanted that to be larger and square, and I simply didn't have the supplies for it, but as Red Fish gradually developed I could not get Wyeth's harbor out of my head. Like many of my water scenes, Red Fish depicts a fairly mundane setting with vibrant colors, mysterious figures, and an interpretable narrative. Fishermen spend their time unloading their catch while we, the viewers, loom as if on some elevated structure overlooking the bay. The repetition of the fish and contrasting colors provide movement and energy, while one figure interacts with the setting and the other the viewer's gaze. Further, what may have initially looked like the moon is actually an eye as the uppermost boat takes the form of a larger red fish breaking free from some netting, adding a surreal quality to the overall scene and further enhancing that drive for narrative and meaning. |
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