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I describe my cityscape paintings as primitive in style, with a general feel of "making do." The simplified images are of poor urban neighborhoods. The invisible residents of these pieces are making do with what they can scrape together, and I make do without the luxuries of dimension and shadow in their portrayal. The images are composites of third world country's shantytowns, and the towering buildings of America's most populated cities. There's a balance of depressed living conditions, a humble respect for human dignity, and the unexpected beauty of a crowded skyline and polluted air. It's a miracle that these communities hold themselves up- but they do. (Cityscapes Gallery)
- Though flat in appearance, the cityscapes are many layers. I start with a a smooth surface, such as a wood panel, gessoboard, or paper. I prime the surface with gesso or a coat of black paint, if necessary. I choose two or three colors for the sky, then layer and blend until the transitions are smooth. Streaks of color look to me like clouds reflecting sunset. Each painting is intended to be at sunset after a long hot day. Then come the buildings- simple rectangles in greys and blends of grey and the background colors- and randomly dispersed windows. The outlining is done with pen- first the buildings, then the windows. Straight smooth lines are the reason for the flat surface- the weave of canvas or the grain of raw wood cause lines to bump, curve, and otherwise be unpredictable. The black pens make way for colored ones for the graffiti. I copy tags I've seen here in Portland, invent some of my own, and include random words and ideas in various scripts. After sufficient tagging, there are the details- broken windows, water towers, satellite dishes, sheds, vents, tubes, antennae. This stage is the most fun. I save the thin power lines for last, then add the red warning lights on the tallest aerials with dots of paint. After everything is dry, I spray a coat of clear matte sealant over the piece so that the ink won't smudge. Pieces painted on paper will be mounted on gessoboard or matte board for strength.
(Cityscapes Gallery)
The landscape series was inspired by a mid-September drive near Banks, Oregon. The juncture around highways 6 and 26 is a perfectly bucolic scene. I was familiar with this area and had driven through it in every season, but this time I was taken by the desire to portray what I was seeing- the hills, evergreens, deciduous trees, fields, sky, and clouds in red, orange, and yellow. I wanted to paint it like a photographic negative- to turn it inside out. I came back the next week and took an entire roll of pictures from various angles, hilltops, and roads; then set up my favorite shots on my painting table as inspiration. I practiced the trees quite a bit, then felt my way forward. I'd never painted a landscape.
My collages are many small parts of a larger idea. The subject of each piece is something for which I have an affinity. I use symbols, colors, textures, small details, large pieces, examples, ideas, interpretations and representations of the central theme. I collect components for months until I feel I have enough to complete an entire collage. This treasure hunting phase is the most fun- pulling together found objects and items I already have, collecting printed material, and buying relevant elements. I never know what the finished product will look like. The collage is built up in many layers, with colors and objects to be covered and revealed later, giving depth. I use glue to create shapes and textures- adhering something, working on and painting around it, then peeling it up later. Sometimes this happens by accident when an addition doesn't turn out well, and I have to remind myself that it's ok- it adds an unpredicted element and provides character. I tend to get attached to certain parts or sections that I'm satisfied with, but remind myself they could need to be covered or altered for the sake of the work as a whole. Objects that I want to be prominent I save for the end and add in a top layer. Much glue, paint, and many rags are involved in the repetitions of applying and wiping away. I work on areas and elements until I can't think of anything more I want to change- then it's done. (Collages Gallery)
It's difficult to describe my mental process for assemblages. It can best be described as backward. In a flash, I see the finished piece in my mind. I study the image, brainstorm on details and sometimes make preliminary sketches. I think about what I need to start, what elements I need to make, buy, and can use from what I have; and how to craft individual elements that can't be readily or inexpensively purchased. Reused and recycled elements are particularly appealing to me. I consider what steps I'll need to take before others, how it will fit together, and in what stages. Assemblages are my favorite creative project, as they are very involved, detailed, and require problem solving. I'll spend hours on a tiny part of a piece, and never consider it too much time- I'd rather meticulously make something and get precisely what I have in mind than haphazardly use a mediocre element. This is where my mild obsessive compulsion becomes helpful. I loose myself in the process of creating something tiny and recognizable out of objects that most people wouldn't consider to be building materials. My mind sails on autopilot, and time flies as I fall into small worlds of improbable engineering. This is pure joy. The result is a detailed mixed media piece that represents a deeply personal self-reflection. (Assemblages Gallery)