Why my art is so different
I live in Long Beach, California creating visual art on canvas and board. I enjoy sculpting as well and often incorporate a variety of mixed media into my paintings whenever possible. I call these "dimensional" art due to the use of a variety of creative enhancements. I paint the American West not in the sense of "western" but as images of the West as it is. This is "country-style". Places rich in heritage and close to nature are disappearing as we transition rapidly toward the future, discarding the past as we go. Components of these older eras are a terrific source of inspiration to draw from in ways that are creative, pleasing to the eye and insightful.
"I decided some time ago that the world was my audience and the internet my gallery. My interest is in calling attention to the older eras that made us what we are today. There is a ton of wisdom, hard earned from those who have gone before. Items from earlier eras were made to stand the test of time and they truly have done just that. Older ways of doing things also teach great lessons that can't be learned any other way.”
I've exhibited in several galleries and numerous shows throughout the West. My artwork hangs in many homes and several countries and has won the hearts of many fans. All of my art has a story behind it. Perhaps you'll be part of the next story.
Artist Statement
Surrounded by everlasting natural beauty, we build things that begin to disintegrate from the moment they are created. We used to make things built to last. Our monuments, machines, houses and technology are temporary at best. But, there is beauty even in decay. I focus upon that crumbling beauty.
The rustic nature of weathered wood, abandoned homesteads and rusty old implements can be hauntingly striking and often serve as a metaphor. Those who grew up in an earlier time made the most from what they had to work with and their legacy lives on in the backroads of forgotten eras. The “country” lifestyle for instance, speaks to the practical side of life yet acknowledges the beauty and power of nature as a vital part of the natural order of things.
As newer technologies consume past lifestyles creating uncertain value, I pay homage to a simpler time when success was measured by the quality of life one created. Symbolic though they may be, my depictions of an earlier, simpler time speak to the deep-seated need within us to seek some comfort there. Nature has always provided exactly what is needed and gives balance to our lives.
When I am not able to paint these factors, I use actual dimensional elements like wood, fabric and rusted metal to enhance the effect for greater visual impact.
Those natural values that provide the elements that grace my paintings are worth reflecting upon. I create artwork that makes you pause and take notice of the beauty that surrounds us.