This piece is inspired by the 1927 poem “Desiderata” by Max Ehrmann. The prose serves as a guide for leading a fulfilling life. The top bar has elements of the poem hammered into metal as if it was a monument for all to read, understand and practice. The supporting panel presents as a section of wall which was a recording device of the journey of living. The wall heard all the conversations, hopes, desires of the lives that came and went in its presence.
This is inspired by an ancient markings on a worn surface. The surface had markings created by a craftsman’s tools and workings. The surface is like a recording device of time. It records the marks of someone’s presence. An addition to this is the battered delivery of words. A message. The simply noted words are notations for the future.
The painting expresses the cadence of musical flow through the spacing, timing, colour and lines. The rhythm of this piece has a sinusoidal wave feeling. Each colour bar represents a corresponding sound. The complicated areas are offset by the subtle quiet spaces. The sharp colours and contrasting fine lines evoke quick plucks of sound. The artwork is presented as a snapshot or remnant of a larger whole of a graphic music score. An ancient feeling is evident through the patina of layers and textural markings throughout the surface. The art panel is presented as if it was a precious object from the past.
Both Flow Adagio and Flow Andante were created to be subtle and restrained. The narrow panel was intended to live within the space rather than shout its presence. I didn’t want to pile too much in too small of a space. Both panels are musical inspired. Both communicate like background mood music. They could exist by themselves horizontally or vertically, or they could be combined to be accompany one on a stroll down the hallway.
This artwork presents a banner of colour overtop a raggedy-anne quilt like patchwork of soft colours. The top band seems to have been exposed and coming through the background.
I am constantly amazed how a simple message of information can get so confused when it is transported through different people, contexts, languages, cultures - and time. This painting exhibits glimpses of communication. From a distance this painting is a chunk of colour. Upon closer examination we discover slight workings buried under the surface and subtle colour revealing itself. A viewer with their nose close to the surface can identify glimpses of written information. Someone was present here.
Elements appear to be flying around over a surface etched with scientific or geometrical information. The painting presents itself as a flying circus pageant. On close examination the etched elements of science, knowledge and everyday things are quietly evident in the substrate.
Zeppelin and waterdroplet shapes float over the surface. Geometry elements are subtly visible etched into the background substrate. The painting presents itself as a flying circus. Perhaps a Zeppelin parade or a circus, but with the workings of science and knowledge are working quietly in the background.
A texture field that suggests our worldly elements. Imbued in the surface is a seemingly ancient pattern partially revealed through excavation. We live among giants in a delicate balance gently embracing us and giving life.
Rampallion - A ruffian or scoundrel! This painting recalls obscured layers of wallpaper, repair, and partially revealed discovery. A passive scrolling floral pattern is quietly revealed through incidental lighting.
Revealing a past by excavation of the current surface suggests that there is much more depth and history than what meets the eye. In some ways this artwork shows the artist planning their initial strokes and working through the movement of the pattern. The artist’s contemplation of pattern reveals the initial preliminary sketchy stages.
This painting presents as an old wall. Signage has come and gone. Repairs have been made with plaster and paint. Worn through everyday use. What this wall has seen? And if it could speak? History remains. The future can be written.
A wall of texture as if from an ancient cantina.
This piece was built on promises. Everything was once shiny and new and full of expectations. Now, used, old and beaten up. Repaired. Obscured. And then lost. Were the promises true?
One child in every class stands out for one reason or another. Sometimes the whiz kid will rise to the occasion and shine through and champion thinking and thought. Or sometimes they will falter and fail. A tribute to trying.
The wall sized field of texture suggest the presence of love and life around it, and the patina of texture shows off it’s ability to last and persevere. The translucent depths of layers of the encaustic medium bury past iterations of lives. Elements of wear and repair suggest a timeline of use. What the wall has seen remains fixed, but the future remains to be written.
I just wanted to create a red painting. A chunk of red. The surface is worn and suggests some kind of technical detailing. The black scribble is there to compose the surface so that the painting has a bold effect.
The surface has been embedded with a Haedy Boys type of story. The story is told with each letter stamped into the wood surface.
This is a story. It is probably true.
Inspired by the ancient foundations of buildings. Suggestions of buried foundations are partially revealed hinting to a past glory. Exposed elements are revealed and then become obscured, once again hiding something from inquiry.
In this panel I was experimenting with a scroll-like floral pattern, which has intrigued me lately. I establish a given pattern - and then disrupt it throughout by using different values within the pattern. Subtle colour shifts exist within the dark value colours.
Lately, I have been intrigued with a scroll-like floral pattern. The pattern is real yet abstract. I establish a pattern and then disrupt it through different exposed values within the pattern. In other floral-scroll-like-patterns I have used a dark value background. In this one I used a medium-dark value orange. To make the composition work, I had to organize the dark values/ light values within different parts of the pattern to bring the viewer’s eye around.
Created to be a chunk of blue. A punch of colour in a space. Composed structurally with lights and darks. minuscule texture upon intimate observation. Everything I look for in a painting!
The big red scribble composes the surface to a bold effect. Resembling a flame, a scribble or destruction. The format is largely a large grey format. Etched in the surface are elements of technology, science and geometry. Today’s times, there seems to be anguish at knowledge. The flame is destructive and yet the technology survives quietly in the surface.
This panel I was working with the idea of using a large chunk of metal to show off the metal’s texture. A glimpse of science and information are revealed at the cut out.
This panel I was working with the idea of a strong graphic shape floating over a sea of information - technology, geometry, science and communication. There is a wear on the institution shown here like a peeling of wallpaper.
This panel I was working with the idea of a bold graphic shape. A suggested peeling of wallpaper reveals information, lost knowledge and understanding beneath the surface. Typography is in relief across the painting’s surface. The piece has been titled to suggest how all aspects of our civilization is a construct of man, and civilized community is based on this thin, fragile veneer of common understanding.
The big red scribble composes the surface to a bold effect. Resembling a flame, a scribble or destruction. The format is largely a large grey format. Etched in the surface are elements of technology, science and geometry. Today’s times, there seems to be anguish at knowledge. The flame is destructive and yet the technology survives quietly in the surface.
I just wanted to create a blue painting. A big chunk of blue. The surface is worn and suggests geometry and technical detailing. There is a slight suggestion of quarks and atomic tracings. The black scribble is there to compose the surface so that the painting has a bold effect.
I wanted to create a large monochromatic green painting that is composed of many versions of greens. As well, I wanted to create a surface that seemed to have had communication at one time. Glimpses of typography and other information are on the surface. The surface seems to have been neglected and repaired.
Inspired by traces of ancient foundations. Previous layers are revealed by a scraped surface.
Inspired by traces of ancient foundations.
Inspired by all plans that are then obliterated by large sweeping carelessness
A cadence of lines march across the surface. Timing is everything.
The cadence of lines represents the staging of music.
Planning. Travel. Seek adventure.
An airship. Plans. Direction. And a challenge.
Much has been obscured. And hidden. Now everything is confused and mysterious. It is now a game of hide and seek. Or Peek-a-boo.
Much has been obscured. Now everything is confused and mysterious.
Elements of an airship. And a glimpse of a vapour trail. A message is hidden in the skies.
War Paint Series—Excerpts from Churchill’s wartime speech”..we will fight on the beaches…” are hard stamped into metal. The industrial metal surface is fashioned like a monument giving it prominence. The presents as if from the side of a warplane. The three stripes, although yellow, are a nod to the WWII invasion stripes.
War Paint Series—The base image is of a particle track trajectory. The overlapping graphic is dazzle camouflage. Science is obscured, obstructed and denied. The viewer must fight back disinformation.
War Paint Series—Written in metal on the base are hard-stamped the words spoken against Canada in recent months. Everything has changed with the United States president’s disrespectful attack on Canada. The invasion stripes are attack paint over these words. The viewer is preparing for being attacked—War Paint.
War Paint Series—The art and practice of concealment and visual deception is the new normal of long established traditions and rules. The military Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) covers writing on permanent metal.
War Paint Series—Written in metal are laws, rules and regulations. Then everything is changed, obstructed and denied. The invasion stripes are applied in green as if redacting everything. The viewer must prepare themselves.
War Paint Series—Hard stamped in metal are words against Canada. The overlapping graphic is dazzle camouflage. Delivered as deceptive and obscured truth. The viewer must be armed and educated to see through the confusion and disinformation.
War Paint Series—A particle track trajectory peeks through. Dazzle camouflage, almost imitating a harlequin or a clown outfit, obstructs and obscures the science. The viewer must fight back disinformation.
War Paint Series—The text stamped into metal are the USA President’s remarks that set off a fire storm of controversy. The disrespectful dialogue stamped in the metal gives the words an ominous permanence. Talk of Canada not being a real country; talk of annexation; talk of Canada being the 51st state—this will change Canada’s relationship with the USA forever. The invasion stripes—five stripes of 3 white and 2 black—were used in WWII to quickly identify allied aircraft. In this painting I suggest these stripes as Canada’s War Paint run it’s readiness against the USA.