"Geological Time & The Solar System" First Day

Another painting about astronomy. This one’s an intimate landscape that puts Earth and the heavens on a human scale. It’s based on an imaginary teaching aid, a class room chart depicting the vastness of space and geological time that includes various types of weather conditions, rock formations, fossil specimens as well the planets and a few constellations. In an attempt to explain too much in too little space, this chart becomes overcrowded and ramshackle like a disposophobic’s closet. I’m sure it will take more than seven days to finish.

Turmeric Gurl, 2008-2011

I found this work on paper while  fishing through a bunch of old unfinished pieces in a long lost box. Instead of re-painting it or turning it into a calloge, I decided it was finished. I can’t remember why I ever thought it should be buried along with all the others, but it relates very much to what I’m working on now. I feel like it revealed itself to me at the time when I could clearly see it.

I do recall being very frustrated by not being able to resolve the image, finally resorting to sanding it. The resulting highlights in the hair and on the chest in particular give just the right amount of  chiaroscuro.

watercolor and graphite on paper

48″ x 32″

2011

In the past year I have started several paintings with images of  elephants,  so far every one has ended up completely obliterated  beneath layers of paint.  I can’t figure out what to begin with to finish with an elephant.

Untitled (Elephant)

Acrylic on canvas

50′ x 50″

2011

This piece happened very quickly,  a fast sketch on a wood panel, painted along with several other horse and riders.

This one kept drawing me back for second and third looks. The horse has a great buoyancy and sense of motion; originally the rider was saluting but I changed his hand and added a glitter camera flash.

Sagittarius is on a restless quest, an inward search to find meaning in his life.

Witness (Sagittarius)

Acrylic, glitter on panel

24″ x 30″

2011