Artist's Entry: 1/18/10

Planar Directions.

Up, down, left, right, forward, backward, inward, outward, north, south, east,

west, universal, even still-ward. Directions are moot today as, for the moment,

I'm operating on a different plane.

Artist's Entry: 12/24/09

Studio Time day before X-mas!

The apartment's filled with the lovely smells of turpentine, oil paint and glue.

Already I have a headache from it! Pass me the respirator. So another

Hanukah has come a gone without much fanfare. Time to get going though on

the new projects that sit in Santa's workshop waiting to be animated with

life through color. Good elves work hardest on the day before Christmas

and then harder every other day. Though I've never seen Santa here I do believe

that someday he'll walk through the door to see all the good work this elf has

been doing in his absence. So this elf wishes all his friends merry x-mas

and may all the lights be festive!

Artist's Entry: 11/8/09

Studio Time!

Artist's Entry: 9/13/09

Thoughts on: Artistic Ethics, Inspiration and Commerce

All artists work from inspiration and then synthesis. I myself have been

a professional artist my entire life. Experiencing a number of artistic disciplines

in the visual and performing arts. Working as necessary in design and commercial

art to survive. The more commercial art is it seems, even in the realm of fine

arts going into galleries, the more it seems artists could be tempted to sacrifice

ethical ways of working.

I myself do my best to abide by a set of ethics that I see as "good kama", something I

believe in and trust. When I seek inspiration I take from the more than enough and

give to the less than enough. I think of artists such as Mondrian and William Blake,

and surely a host of others whose art and ideas were exploited and appropriated

for commercial and competitive gain when they themselves could not fulfill their own

needs even as others benefited by co=opting and appropriating their work.

I sometimes turn to dead artists for inspiration because, lacking a strong sense of fellowship

with other artists as a community presently, I can rest easy that the inspiration and resulting

synthesis is rightfully mine and represents good karma. If I were to steal any sort of

inspiration from an artist in a more intense struggle to survive than myself, on any level,

I'd find myself with some bad karma. I'm always happy to give credit to those artists

whom I owe, and do so in a real way.

Of course, the spirit of these ethics is what's important to me. Not the letter. The

world is a sacred and mysterious vessel which can not be grabbed after. I have

faith in my work and will continue to forge ahead with my experiments! When

searching for fodder for new creativity, I'm not willing to plunder another artist's

work who has less than myself. This is a complex topic of discussion which

I've only touched the surface of.

Artist's Entry: 8/13/09

Artist's Entry: 7/22/09

My friends: I'm enjoying the flow of art lovers, gallerists, art dealers,

designers and artists who've recently started visiting my art studio.

You're invigorating and inspiring. I hope I am for you. You've made my

tent a hub of activity - Excuse the art supplies everywhere!

Artist's Entry: 5/4/09

I choose to work in a way no one else desires to. That way it's my own.

Then when it's discovered that it is beautiful -- it can't be taken away.

Artist's Entry: 4/30/09

Click on a thumbnail-image below to enlarge to full view and/or view GALLERY slide show.

Thanks to my dear friend, who is an avid art lover, for a wonderful gift which will

be used as a donation towards 20 more tubes of paint which will make the two new

5.5 foot square paintings possible. I'm forever thankful for such generous support.

You are so kind to take me to the theater, the dance and let me take you to museums

and galleries! I learn from you joyfully.

Artist's Entry: 2/26/09
I'm very compelled by the tactile quality of my newest works. They are singular
objects. Such tactile qualities however will not reproduce with the same visual impact
the tactile object has when seen in person, touching it with your own eyes.

I find myself now eschewing objects that are overly refined. Too often the public seems
inured to the slick printed images of magazines and posters or commercial mass produced
objects. In my mind and eye almost always (with notable exceptions) this type of work
feels dead to me.

This belief that, the more an object looks as if it were machine made, the higher the
quality - is a false and misguided one that I don't subscribe to. Similarly, I tire
of yellow journalism in Art. The latest scandal of greed or unethical behavior or hype
about objects which, left standing on their own could be counted as kitsch or at
best just plain cold and without humanity. (Self serving? In bad taste?)

Political art seems to be propaganda, again with few notable exceptions (Picasso's
"Guernica" and the "Charnel Ground" works - great exceptions). Sometimes I
question motivations for political statements. It's more important to get under the
skin of politics than narrate or reflect the surface.Other subject matter could be; wit,
irony or sometimes adulation of someone or something. However popular to
the public these are at first blush, these could be understandable last resort for
artists trying to vie for attention, to survive. Are they sacrificing what is most
important in art? Freedom to explore for the sake of discovery and exploration.

Yes - I'm very glad to be painting images that posses qualities that are quite human.
Paint has the attribute of being a language of it's own, like music. I choose to leave
anecdotes and narrative out. Thus transcending words and base struggles. This is my
choice, my gift, my subject matter. Transcendence.

My aim is to give beauty that is universal. A universal place of peace, a sanctuary you
may enter through a retinal experience. Perfection is -- boring! I am certain that true
beauty is a balance between beauty and ugliness. It falters or cracks sometimes.
Heroes are only heroic with pathos, Ancient temple ruins are more beautiful now than
when they were new -- Gaudy, ostentatious monuments to oppression, power and
wealth. It's all part of the plan. The plan to stay alive, stay human.

My works almost seem like artifacts. Ancient objects from true antiquity - yet they are
new, contemporary and modern. Especially when you're able to explore the surface of my
art in person -- See them from a distance -- Find yourself drawn in closer -- Get very
close and discover small details. Motion of graceful brushwork, dazzling or soft, muted
colors . The compositions are boldly graphic yet subtle and quiet as a whisper at times. --
As the light changes, their colors, that I've carefully balanced, also change. For a certain
light - Early morning, afternoon, entertaining at night or peaceful midnight. A set
backdrop for human living. I will not consider a painting finished until I've seen it in
literally all kinds of light. After I spend months with it. I even consider how they look in
the dark! (Really.)

I would never lie to them or cheat the collectors who've bought my art. I have faith that
my art has a very positive effect on those who experience it. Whether daily or occasionally.

After careful consideration, we must choose the ethical artist over the unethical.
There are many ways to be innovative in art. It would seem that sometimes the
innovation is not quite as obvious to the eye.

I learned recently that other scientists now agree quite popularly that at the earliest
stages of life on this planet, the lower forms or life...single celled organism were
attacked by viruses. Viruses being less complex even that a single celled "animal"
therefore needing the animal to live "on". To summarize, (rather quickly), these viruses
actually gave the single celled animals some of their DNA which enabled these animals
to become more complex...eventually Human. Just one evident fact to support this is:
All mammal placentas are filled with viruses. (Humans are mammals). Experiments
were done with sheep where the pregnancies were injected with antibiotics.
The pregnancies were then no longer viable.

The conclusion scientists came to is: Humans actually are viruses. Without the gift of
their DNA we would never have been able to evolve into the highly complex beings we are.
Once we are so complex however, we are far less adaptable than a simpler, few celled
organism which often has the ability to mutate, evolve and adapt rapidly. We will never
evolve fast enough to live in outer space if we can't live on Earth. So! -- There are
good viruses and bad viruses. Please!! Let us be a good virus on our planet!!!

Artist's Entry: 2/23/09
Here we go again! I stand before a 5.5 foot square of precious white space.
The stretched linen is like a trampoline!! It's thrilling.

Artist's Entry: 2/18/09
I'm learning from paint, one of the greatest teachers. Like any facet of life, it
can't be, won't be controlled. There's great irony inherent in being a painter;
One motivation to be a painter is to more freely express individuality or a personal
perspective from the life of my mind. Whether external observation or introspection.
Sound and good motivation. The discovery comes from the interactive quality of
the paint. Almost a living force, conversation with an artistic medium, even a dance,
is revealing. Sometimes I'm able to lead. It's enlightening. So I become a bit
more knowledgeable. What is taught? Self discipline? Freedom?

Artist's Entry: 12/30/08

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