Call of The Wild (Recall)
The Digital Age has brought upon us a binary kaleidoscope fog blanketing both perception and reality along with a device-driven technology that has gone well beyond its original purpose of improving lives. I think of my artwork as not only beyond the fog, but also behind the curtain of technology, closer to the woods and fields and further from technologies and structures. A time to listen to ‘The Call of the Wild” and to recall the wonders and encounters of the natural world.
Using traditional media (ink, paper, canvas, oils), I create mythical landscapes of mountains, waterways, forests, and fields that serve as settings for a variety of unforeseen events. Within a twilight setting, animals along with featureless bipedal counterparts engage in a variety of activities that include observing, flying, floating, fleeing, and hiding. Consternation prevails, as well as implied references to environmental concerns, science affliction, and cultural anxieties.
The predominant method or technique used in both my drawings and paintings is pointillism and the inspiration, George Seurat. As an influence, I have adapted Seurat’s pointillism along with his pixel-like brush strokes, and stippling. However, unlike Seurat, I insert silhouettes, work with a limited palette, and use cadmium orange undercoat. Also, unlike Seurat, my work projects a different narrative through its interpretation and emphasis on events related to conflict, dreams, humor, and the surreal nature of the time.
Born and raised in Chicago and living in DC since graduate school, my career as an artist extends back to the early 1970’s and includes twenty-six solo exhibitions, numerous gallery and museum exhibitions (The Corcoran Art Gallery, The Anderson Gallery, The Katzen Arts Center). Additional noteworthy exhibitions and awards include the “Washington Art Matters ll: 1940s – 1980s” exhibition at the American University Museum at the Katzen Center, First Prize in The Fairfax Art Council awards, First Prize in The George Washington University Alumni Competition, and a Special Recognition award from The Virginia Commission of the Arts. Collectors include American University, The George Washington University, Marymount University, George Mason University, the Elisabeth French Collection, the Gudelsky Collection, Radio One and Prudential. I studied at The University of Illinois (BFA Painting), The George Washington University (MFA Painting), and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (TICA). Currently, I am employed as an adjunct professor teaching Drawing at Laurel Ridge Community College in Warrenton, Virginia and reside in Washington, DC.