Artist Statement

I graduated from Wayne State University in 1970 with an MA in Painting.

I have been producing visual art in the Detroit area since 1968, and this includes producing artwork using a variety of different media.  I was born in Detroit, and I have resided, gone to school, and exhibited extensively in Detroit. I have always considered myself part of the Detroit Art Community.

Until recently, I have been represented by the Lurie Gallery, in Miami, Fl. and  Beverly Hills, CA.

The body of work that has recently dominated my time and energy is the watercolor on paper.  These paintings have a narrative and are representational.  This work (usually) contains a metaphysical element that I use to create a sense of mystery.  Some of the subject matter has been influenced by my travel to Puerto Rico, and Cuba, where I have taken digital pictures of images that resonate with me.   A composition usually comes from a conglomerate of these images.  I spend much of the time considering the elements of the composition, followed by the use of color, space, and light.   In addition, what has developed in these paintings is the idea of placing a painting of mine into a new painting.  When complete, the painting is scanned on a large bed scanner.  I have experimented with printing the “Giclee” larger than the original.  The original is often 24 X 34”, and I have made one digital print of that image that is 34 X 48
The early origins of my watercolor paintings started as landscapes in the 70’s and they have accelerated recently with multiple exhibits.  I have completed about 80 pieces of this type work.

A body of work that I have exhibited extensively over the years is what started out to be landscapes (acrylic on an easel) in the 70’s and evolved to abstractions around 2000.   These paintings are color field paintings using a stroke of paint that has evolved from landscapes with surreal skies to large (50X70) flat fields of multiple color.   I have completed approximately 75 pieces of this type of work.

Another body of work has been the creation of Mandalas, both drawings and ceramic pieces. The Sanskrit word Mandala means, "circle" in the ordinary sense of the word.   The Mandala is fundamentally a visual construct that is easily grasped by the eye, for it corresponds to the primary experience as well as to the structure of the organ. To the western world, the popular reintroduction of the Mandala concept can be specifically traced to the work of Carl G. Jung, who rediscovered the Mandala as a basic structural device in the alchemical tradition of the West, and as an integrative art form used by individuals as part of a process he called individuation.  I simply wanted to create my own Mandala.

I find in making / creating visual art, it is helpful to have a primary focus that occupies the majority of my thought and time, but I have also found it useful to have a secondary focus the occasionally provides for a respite from the main body of work.  I use the Mandala work for this purpose.  I have completed 30 pieces of this type work.

The last to mention would be the film work.  I attended the London Film School in the early 1970’s and worked in the film / TV industry as a way of making a living.  In 1984, I wrote and directed a feature film for Vestron Pictures, Going Back that received critical acclaim and good reviews around the country.

I was disillusioned by the film industry and quickly returned to my studio to make visual art.  I have produced a nine-minute film recently where I talk about making art, currently available for viewing on my web site (see Video).

All my work has evolved in a personal way, and I believe in a theory developed by Joseph Chilton Pierce that says our imaginations are shaped by our play experiences between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age.  My ability to generate a new idea for a piece of work comes from a highly developed imagination, travel, and my daily experiences.  In addition, I have been a student of Carl Jung for nearly twenty years and I adhere to his Theory of Psychological Type, and the Collective Unconscious.

When it comes to interpretation, I do not analyze nor intellectualize the meaning of my work.  What I see in a painting and what you see in a painting may be entirely different. This is the quality in art that makes it very special, be it a short story, a poem, a painting, or a piece of music. Artistic analysis cannot force the viewer to find what he or she does not see. An artistic statement is a little like asking the artist, what does it mean?  My position is the meaning of a piece of art is very different for each viewer and largely based on his or her experience.
My goal is to bring the viewer back to the experience, again and again. As simply as possible, I want to create a sense of mystery using space, light, color, and composition.