Masks

Masks brought back from Nigeria where my parents served as missionaries from 1960 to 1963 have served as a subject in my visual work since 2015. I grew up with these masks and other artifacts on the walls of my childhood home. The masks always possessed a strange magnetism becoming both a mysterious yet familiar subject and always a reminder of my past and family. As I explored the subject of the masks one became male and the other female. In some cases the male came to represent my father and after his death the other one my mother, and a series of pairings emerged related to them as well as other pairings.

Jesus and Mary

2017. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sawdust on canvas. 18” x 18”

The Mourner and the Deceased

2018. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 64” x 48”

Daughter

2018. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Dinner with the Mattingly's

2018. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on canvas. 18” x 18”

Grandmother

2018. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

American Gothic

2017. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sawdust on canvas. 24” x 24”

Yellow Mask

2017. Latex on reclaimed wood. 32” x 18”

3 Guitars + 3 Masks = Surrealistic Expression

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Lioness

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas board. 14” x 11”

Red Man

2017. Latex on reclaimed wood. 23” x 19”

Shamanawanabe

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on reclaimed wood. 30” x 23”

Sleeping Christ

2017. Pastel on reclaimed wood. 18” x 11”

Trinity

2017. Latex on reclaimed wood. 13” x 10”

Sleeping Yellow Christ

2017. Latex and ink on woodcut block. 16” x 9”

Wizard's Apprentice

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on reclaimed wood. 30” x 23”

Gueule de bois (Hangover)

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Marriage

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Night and Fog

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

I'm Looking through You

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 36” x 24”

Bullethead

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and ink on yupo. 26” x 20”

Joker

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel, graphite and charcoal on canvas. 57” x 36”

Three Shaman walk into a Bar...

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 10” x 20”

Manifest Destiny

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Masked Cello

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

The Missionary (Portrait of Father)

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Boy

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Eggman

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Nigeria

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Painting

2017. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 36” x 12”

Five Masks

2015

Figure Drawings

Figurative compositions focus on a gestural approach to mark making using the human form as the subject. This approach and subject allows me to explore line, color, shape and rhythm and discover new ways to work with different media. Because of the visual weight of the figure and how it fills the page, I am free to concentrate on the torso, clothing and other simplifications of body mass.

Three Figure Art

2016. Pastel on yupo. 20” x 26”

Green Suit

2018. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 36” x 24”

Venus in a Blue Suit

2018. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 75” x 48”

Shopping at NY and Company

2016. Latex acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 40” x 26”

Woman in Landscape

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on yupo. 20” x 26”

Blue

2016. Pastel on yupo. 14” x 11”

Reclining Nude

2016. Pastel on yupo. 11” x 14”

Nude Still Life

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Nude in Landscape

2016. Charcoal and paint on yupo. 20” x 26”

Red

2015. Pastel on yupo. 14” x 11”

Lips

2015. Pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Venus de Rodin

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sawdust on canvas. 30” x 24”

Recline

2015. Pastel on yupo. 11” x 14”

Buried Sculpture

2015. Latex, acrylic and sand on yupo. 20” x 26”

Yellow Legs

2018. Latex, acrylic and sand on yupo. 20” x 26”

Gestural Abstractions

The work on this page I would describe loosely as still lifes. I combine objects that are similar in shape and contour. I think of each object as thin transparent layer which I sometimes weave together like strands of fabric to alter the subject. It’s the overlapping of different objects and pulling out certain forms and lines that direct these compositions.

Homer Dreams Blue

2018. Oil and pastel on untreated canvas. 63” x 66”

Phoenix

2018. Oils and pastels on untreated canvas. 66” x 65”

Three Faces to Consider

2018. Acrylic and Pastel on Untreated Canvas

16 x 24 x 1” 40.6 x 61 x 2.5 cm

Soft Green Guitar

2018. Latex and Acrylic on Yupo. 26 x 20” 66 x 50.8 cm

Twisted

2018.Latex, Acrylic and Pastel on Canvas. 48 x 24 x 2” 121.9 x 61 x 5.1 cm

Green Pepper

2018. Pastel, Acrylic, Ink, and Colored Pencil on Toned Rag Paper 9.5 x 10 in 24.1 x 25.4 cm

Bone Sculpture

2018. Latex and Acrylic on Canvas. 30 x 20 x 1.5 in 76.2 x 50.8 x 3.8 cm

Peach Guitar

2018. Latex, acrylic, charcoal and sawdust on cradled panel. 24” x 36”

Guitar and Cello Still Life

2018. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on cradled panel. 24” x 36”

Geetar and Chello

2018. Latex, acrylic, charcoal and sand on cradled panel. 24” x 36”

White Guitar

2018. Latex, acrylic and sand on cradled panel. 24” x 36”

Blue Guitar

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Black Guitar Still Life

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 40” x 26”

Green Guitar with Figures

2016. Acrylic and pastel on yupo. 26” x 20”

A Cross behind a Bird behind an Oak Leaf inside a Dress

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Looking through a Hole in a Guitar

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

African Vibration

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Guitar with African Patterns

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

Guitar and Cello 2015

2015. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Guitar and Cello 2016

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Picasso's Guitar

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 40” x 26”

Talking Stick

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on canvas. 36” x 12”

Three Shaman

2015. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 48” x 75”

Family Tryp

2017. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 48” x 96”

Birth of Venus

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

The Dream

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

While my Guitar Gently Sleeps

2016. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Easy Chair

2017. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 26” x 20”

I'm only Sleeping

2017. Acrylic, pastel and charcoal on yupo. 20” x 26”

Landscapes

Having lived in Illinois all my life the local landscape is as much apart of me as the land is to a farmer. The landscapes I sculpt are flat, dark, airy, filled with groves of trees, or posts but mostly the sky and land are the main subject. It is a subject I have consistently included in my work. The ease in which a landscape becomes a simplistic form allows for investigation of material and a gestural approach. Because I can close my eyes and see the region around me I am free to explore different color combinations and compositions.

Foamscape

2018. Latex, arcylic and charcoal on Stryofoam. 10” x 18”

Sanctuary

2018. Latex, Acrylic and Powdered Charcoal on Styrofoam

11.25 x 20 x 1” 29 x 50.8 x 2.5 cm

Stryolandscape

2018. Latex, arcylic and charcoal on Stryofoam. 10” x 18”

Winter Solstice

2011. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 24” x 48”

Twilight

2012. Latex, arcylic and charcoal on canvas. 12” x 36”

Black Palms Reach

Latex, Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas

30 x 48”

Palm Trees in Winter

2018. Latex and Charcoal on Canvas

20 x 10 x 1”

Afton

2011. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 24” x 48”

Healed Horizon

2018. Latex, Arcylic and Ink on Canvas. 10” x 20”

Illinois Impression

2010. Acrylic on canvas. 24” x 36”

Five Posts Road

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on canvas. 10” x 20”

Illinois

2018. Latex, acrylic and charcoal. 10” x 20”

Illinois Sun

2018. Latex, acrylic and charcoal on canvas. 10” x 20”

Winter Sky

2018. Latex, acrylic, charcoal and sand on canvas. “12” x 36”

Sawdust Landscape Fusion

2014. Latex, acrylic, charcoal and sawdust on canvas. 24” x 36”

Sanctuary

2009. Latex and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

Shadow

2013. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 24” x 48”

Illinois Road

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and sand on canvas. 12” x 36”

Seven Posts

2016. Latex, acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas. 10” x 30”

Horizon

2013. Latex, acrylic and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 48”

Empire of Liberty

2013. Latex, acrylic and charcoal on canvas. 24” x 36”

American Monoliths

2000. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 54” x 60”

Corner Post

2000. Latex and acrylic on canvas. 55” x 60”

Autoportraits

I stumbled on the word autoportrait, the French term for self portrait, which I now use to refer to my portraiture work. This definition applies to my self portraits as they are only loosely based on my physical image and are more an internal or private likeness. The “auto” in autoportrait suggests the process of automatic drawing which speaks to my gestural approach in these compositions. Working from the unconscious and taking risks with materials support this notion. This series serves as an outlet for an unrefined look at myself. I’m after a direct, honest inner portrayal without an obligation to render an exact likeness.