Where I've been and where I'm going....

Painting in Wilmington, De in 2014

Still at in 2021

      The past 7 years of being a full time artist has taken me on quite a journey. I realized this winter it was time to slow down and re-calibrate a bit. I’ve spent much of 2021 doing just that!
       My new series of Figures in the Urban Landscape, which I am revealing at this year’s Open Studio, is a direct result of some of this re-calibrating.  In looking at the figure work I’ve been doing for over 25 years and my urban paintings, I decided it was time to bring these two together. BAM! Actually, I tried something similar years ago and it didn’t quite take. This time around it feels right. These paintings have been an absolute joy to create and I think each has a story to tell.
      One question I had to ask myself in these past months is Why? Why urban landscape? I’ve often spoken about my paintings having a rhythm. So I stared at my paintings…stared and stared and thought about the way your eye travels through these painting, what’s in these paintings and what is their rhythm.  That led me to thinking about the rhythms of life itself. I thought of the roads we all travel in this life, the obstacles we inevitably run into, and how they shape us.  I can see that reflected in my paintings. There are roads, streets, paths in my paintings as well as obstacles like leaning poles, bridges, building, etc. that can be analogous with life events that happen to each of us.

Now, can you just enjoy my painting for a painting? Absolutely, but this layer of insight has added a new dimension to my work for me and I wanted to share it.  I’m sure I’ll have more to say in the future.

Now let’s talk Open Studio....

      I’ve done an Open Studio for the past 5 years; this years is number 6.  Hands down it’s the best place to connect, both as an art enthusiast and as an artist. It’s where YOU get to know me BETTER and I can make myself and my art available to YOU, for one weekend, in as easy, casual, and unfettered way as possible.
       Open Studios are a fantastic way to see an artist’s work because you see a large body of work. This really gives you a sense of the artist, a full picture, as opposed to just a few pieces in a show. You may see pieces that you’d never see in any gallery or show…not because they aren’t good, but because they simply don’t fit a theme or are a bit different than the artists’ mainstream work.
       You see where the art is created, the materials used and perhaps see pieces in various stages of completion. You may be the very FIRST to see work…work that hasn’t been out of the studio yet! How cool is that! Best of all you get to see art in person, up close and talk to the artist about it. As an artist, I enjoy the interaction; you responding to the art and hearing about what you see in the paintings, what they remind you of…what stories you bring to them. Art is surprising in its universality and I always learn things from you.
       Buying art online or from a gallery is fine and I support both those methods of supporting artists but nothing beats connecting in person. When you can chat with the artist, in the space where the artist works, it deepens our connection as human beings and makes the world a better place. If you happen to take an artwork home, it’ll just be that much more special because of the time we spent together. And if it is not the time for you, that’s OK too, we’ll still have a wonderful memory to share

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