Who are the women in this newest series?

"I'm not sure really. They are teaching me more about them as I paint and progress thru the series. I do know that I admire strong women.They are the underpinning of society. I was raised by 3 strong women- my mother, aunt, and sister.

 

These portraits began in early 2020 during a trip to Bolivia, where, during COVID travel restrictions, a weeklong trip turned into nearly six months. During this unexpected extended residency, I had brought paints and brushes, but didn’t have anything to paint on. My girlfriend turned me on to an empty apartment that was being renovated- where there were cabinets that had been ripped out of the kitchen. I had this big beautiful space to go paint in every day, and I used the cabinet’s masonite panels to paint on- which would fit into a suitcase.

 

The whole experience was a blessing. I started by searching the internet for photographs of women from the 1800s. I was honoring these women and bringing them back, not just into contemporary times, but also into the future. I wanted viewers to feel the sense of time, the iconic nature of women, and the meaning of honor.

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Once I returned to New York, I continued to paint the series. Currently, I am getting a strong sense of ephemeralism. 

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What's most important is for the viewer to go on their own journey - to feel empowered - to have their own ideas and reactions - to be open to being washed away in time, and to feel that time is not linear; that it has many dimensions to it. I want them be visited by these women, to feel their presence and vice versa.”

 

You make your own paints?

"Yes, I learned to grind my paints from dry pigments while studying at The Schuler School 

of Fine Arts in Baltimore, Maryland. Highest quality paints and control are the driving incentives. It takes me about 45 minutes to grind all my colors for a typical full palette but it's well worth while for the results- simply unmatched. 

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I also prepare my own painting surfaces. I buy the best Italian raw linen possible. The steps to first, size the linen involves several coats of a PH neutral glue. Then, I add, several layers of primer. It's all a bit much for most other artists but I enjoy the old masters artisan approach."

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Where do you get your creative inspiration?

"I draw inspiration from the untainted perspective of youth. My biggest inspiration is viewing life through a child’s mind and vision. The feeling that you get from kids—my own grandkids and children in general—is inspirational, nonjudgmental and refreshing. I’d rather approach life from this place of wonder. It’s inspirational for me to be on a child’s level, to literally get on the floor and see the world from a child’s point of view. It’s Basquiat’s approach as well; he was able to draw and paint like a child.  I’d rather be removed from the conceptual stage and the painting process. I’d rather be a fly on the wall. I want to funnel the process, not direct it. There are hundreds of senses, not just five.”

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