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Frenzy

Many years ago, during a difficult period in my life, and living (and painting) on very limited means, I found myself deeply inspired (and also very broke). It’s been rare to experience inspiration that overcame my senses to the point of painting “in a frenzy”, but there I was. It was an intensely creative few days of steady (mostly sleepless) work. I used up most of the paper and pigment on hand for three series of thirteen smallish pieces, varying a bit in size (I was in some cases working from scraps, but most of this first Frenzy series are roughly 5″ x 7″). I drank too much coffee, and washed my hands too seldom. It was, as I recall, 1997, in Fresno’s notorious Tower District.

I initially began with a notable focus on UV pigments, and interference colors, and any other similarly visually intense pigments I had on hand at the time. The series of work used a specific technical approach to creating the pieces throughout that resulted in a somewhat “Rorschach test” inspired set of images, which nudge the viewer to bring their own thoughts and impressions to each piece. I welcome your comments.

Frenzy I
Frenzy II
Frenzy III
Frenzy IV
Frenzy V
Frenzy VI
Frenzy VII
Frenzy VIII
Frenzy IX
Frenzy X
Frenzy XI
Frenzy XII
Frenzy XIII – “At the End, Whatever is Left Over”

These pieces are available for sale (each original, no copies or prints are available). Please contact me by email if interested.

Black Light Art Gallery! Tonight

It’s time. It’s really here. I’ll be with the Geodesic Art Collective at the Black Light Art Gallery! tonight. 🙂

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I’ll be presenting both new and old work, including the entire “Frenzy” collection, available for sale.

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Selected work, ready to load in the car

My “Frenzy” collection (three series, each of 13 images), hidden in the brown envelopes, has an interesting back story… I will have to tell it to you one day soon. It involves solitude, inspiration, loneliness, altered states, and a whole lot of running out of canvas, paint, and finally… paper. A peculiarly intense several days of continuous painting, locked in my own head until the paint ran out, about which I may already have said enough. lol 🙂

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5″ by 7″ acrylic on paper w/UV pigment, “Frenzy VIII”, from a series of 13 individual works.

Gypsy Drums

"Gypsy Drums" 5" x 7" watercolor on paper 1996

“Gypsy Drums” 5″ x 7″ watercolor on paper 1996

Like it’s companion piece, “Gypsy Dancer”, “Gypsy Drums”  is a small watercolor on paper that was painted on a weekend at a local renaissance fair, in 1996. This small piece was inspired by the dancing of an associate of that time, named Margrit, an exotic and passionate Armenian woman of great beauty.  Shortly after these pieces were painted, I changed artistic direction and began to work almost exclusively in acrylic on canvas, in the abstract, and exploring mixed-media work. I have often found that between big changes in style or focus, I return to small watercolors, or pen & ink sketches to ‘get by on’ creatively.

Gypsy Dancer

"Gypsy Dancer"  5" x 7" watercolor on paper 1996

“Gypsy Dancer” 5″ x 7″ watercolor on paper 1996

“Gypsy Dancer” is a small watercolor on paper that was painted on a weekend at a local renaissance fair, in 1996. I had made a major life change, and my artistic focus and direction often also change as a result. This is one of a handful of pieces of small relaxed watercolor sketches I did just before I dropped everything to work in bolder, larger acrylics in the abstract. This small piece, and the companion piece “Gypsy Drums” were inspired by the dancing of an associate of that time, named Margrit, an exotic and passionate Armenian woman of great beauty.