Golden Journey

Statement I have always loved the images in the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud. They dazzle the mind, quicken all the senses, and create strange introspection, brooding, and melancholy. These emotions, provoked by Symbolist literature and similar genre and the ambiguous dreamscapes they produce, are the beginnings of a painting. I hope to create a work of sensual beauty that draws the viewer into the narrative. It is a story that has no beginning, middle, or end – simply characters caught in a single poetic moment of imaginary rituals. The paintings are of ancient games, isolated figures caught in a maze, performers nude or elaborately costumed, disguising a story deeper than what is being told on the surface. I don't always know what I am trying to say when I start a painting and many times the outcome is just as mysterious to me as it may be to the viewer. My paintings are executed in an unconventional combination of media that give them a look very different from most oil paintings. I prefer the smooth surface of museum board but use canvas in equal measure. I have created a technique of layering oil paints and varnishes numerous times so that while they are smooth, a depth and richness is created that is reminiscent of the Venetian approach. Gold leaf and other collage elements are sometimes incorporated. I enjoy painting the figure primarily and it is a challenge and great joy when the character in my narrative seems to occupy the perfect enigmatic place and is able to make the viewer recognize their own darker truths.