Dreams.

2026 kicked off with a painting that harkens back to some tendencies from before the Pandemic Painting series, but combines those with trends that have emerged over the last few years. The most obvious difference is the lack of a “scene”. Like much of my work prior to 2020 (see right), this painting occupies a somewhat unidentifiable space, with objects, symbols and figures interacting upon a brightly colored background. There’s almost a collage-esque nature that keeps everything on the same plane, preventing one object from becoming too much of a main focus, keeping the eye and narrative moving. Like before, these objects are simplified almost to the extent of turning them into symbols or icons which can be interpreted in a number of ways. In the painting to the right (circa 2015) you can see the "floating object" style in full effect, with this painting taking on an even bolder and simpler approach than others from the same time-period.

Some more recent trends can also be seen, such as the striped shorts-wearing-ambiguous figure and a touch of landscape to the right, but the overall lack of of setting separates it from much of my recent work and helps communicate that dream-like sense weightlessness and surrealism. The painting to the right, one of my favorites from the Pandemic Painting series, exemplifies the differences. The figure here is immersed in the background, almost taking a backseat to the trees and shapes that surround them. Some of the more painterly techniques can be seen here and in Dreams that are lacking in the 2015 painting, which give recent work a sense of depth and gravity that I think are missing in earlier paintings. 

Buy Dreams today over on the shop or contact me for deals on multiple paintings. You can also see details from the painting here.