FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Winter Update ...

Even in the era of Covid19 during which so many places have closed or only allow very limited attendance, many exciting things have happened since my last blog, and I wanted to share them with you! If you’ve followed me on Facebook or Instagram, several of these cool things will sound familiar, but this is more inclusive/in-depth and all-inclusive.

This past November through this January has been extremely eventful for me - a solo show at Zolla/Lieberman Gallery [“Distillation of Space”] in Chicago, a group show at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art [“The Anniversary Show: 35 Years of Art with Friends” ] in Kansas City, and the "76th Midwest Biennial Exhibition" at the Rockford Art Museum.

The following paintings from my solo show, “Distillation of Space”, have found permanent homes in important private collections around the country.

Hay Bales, 18" x 24"

Wetlands, 18" x 24"

Be Still, 30" x 40"

Apparition, 40" x 30"

Catching Snowflakes, 20" x 24"

In addition, critic and author Lori Waxman wrote a review of the show, which you can read here.

I’ve also been working on a complex commission of 5 paintings that were just installed last week. It was an amazing project: a pentaptych for which each painting held significant clues tied to a specific family member. The entire grouping also held clues regarding the couple's background. The following is a photo of the entire group installed.

And lastly, in the fall of 2019, I was awarded a 3-week artist residency at Ragdale Foundation for 2020. However, Covid19 happend. As you well know, the lives of every person, business and institution were turned upside down, and Ragdale was no different. They canceled the entire 2020 year of residencies that had been scheduled from March through December. They then modified the program for the safety of staff and artists, and rescheduled as many residencies as possible in 2021 but reduced the experience to 12 days/artist and restricted the attendance to only 2 artists at a time. In the beginning of this coming March, I’m thrilled to be heading off to Ragdale Foundation for my 12-day period of immersion in art-making and experimentation. More information than you wanted but stay tuned for new artwork!

As always, check in on Facebook and Instagram to see what I've been up to. Above all else, wear your mask and stay well!

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

Distillation of Space

It’s November. Flocks of geese flew over while I was driving to Chicago this morning, inspiring additional paintings about the sight of little specs in the sky flying in undulating “v” shapes in the sky, formations that seem both rigid and organic. The "v"'s surge, spread out, break down into sub-units, then condenses back into larger “v”'s all over again, as the birds take turns leading and allowing the flock to conserve energy.

From left to right: Return Flight; Flight; Will I See You Again?

In addition, I had been looking forward to this month for over a year and a half, focused on working toward my solo show at Zolla/Lieberman Gallery that just opened last weekend. This exhibition, “Distillation of Space”, feels like it was a long time coming, representing over a year and a half of focused time in my studio, not to mention much of that time being (and continuing to be) a very intense and challenging time for our country.

From left to right: Birch Trees and Snow; Boreal Summer; Hay Bales (SOLD); Be Still.

Many features of the paintings in this exhibition reflect characteristics that you would be familiar with from seeing past artwork of mine: architectural-based grids and geometric shapes that organize the compositions and present the subject matter. The thick impasto paint and incorporation of graphite applied over a multi-colored underpainting will also be familiar to you, as well as circles and ovals used to represent rain, fog, snow or leaves.

Rainfall

Within this new body of work, “Distillation of Space”, the subject matter has evolved beyond the poetry of air and light dancing through and shaping the landscape and indulge the tension between surface and space, to include references to the fauna – deer, Sandhill cranes, and cat birds – that exist in or pass through those spaces that we distantly observe through whichever aperture we've chosen as our constructed realities of nature, the outside world.

The following photos are additional captures from this exhibit:

From left to right: Apparition (SOLD); Birch Trees and Snow; Boreal Summer.

From left to right: Wetlands; Boreal Fauna; River's Edge; In the Shadow of Trees.

Left: Summer Place; Upper right: Summers End; Lower right: Reflections on a Fall Lake.

From left to right: Road Cut and Fog; Passage; Catching Snowflakes.

From left to right: Hay Bales (SOLD); Be Still.

I welcome hearing from you! If you're planning to visit Chicago between now and January 9, please visit Zolla/Lieberman Gallery to see this exhibit in person. As always, check in on Facebook and Instagram to see what I've been up to. Above all else, stay well!

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