"Phoenix"

A slightly different turn of view - but still one of glorifying life and humanity [as humans are as much a part of nature as any other living organism]... contrary to some, this rendering does not glorify the anti-man eco-freak view... note the distant city is not one of decay, but of growth...

"Curmudgeon"

One of several metaphoric take-offs of Mother Lode, this is on the same hill but on the other side, where part of the Mother is seen above at the top... a gnarly tree, chopped yet deeply rooted, still makes its way to blooming... some have even seen it as a woman coming to form as enlightment, so there is definitely diversed views on its metaphoric implications...

On "Important"

From Rand -

"Important" - in its essential meaning, as distinguished from its more limited and superficial uses - is a metaphysical term. It pertains to that aspect of metaphysics which serves as a bridge between metaphysics and ethics: to a fundamental view of man's nature. That view involves the answers to such questions as whether the universe is knowable or not, whether man has the power of choice or not, whether he can achieve his goals in life or not. The answers to such questions are "metaphysical value-judgments", since they form the base of ethics.

Act of Creation

One of the more troubling things I've encountered over the years is the notion that creating a work of art is something frought with chimerical muses which bless and then in turn curse the various artists who seek to ply their skills to visualize... as a metaphor of psychological frustration, this may indeed be apt - but as a reality to accept as a norm, it is a falsity, and on many points...

To begin with, it is a pandering to a fantasy holdover from times in which one knew little of the ways and means of thinking beyond what was termed 'common sense', and appeals to an unknown 'other' served as an excuse to avoid the full self-responsibility of grasping the nature of what it is an artist is to do with the skill developed... to be blunt - if one does not know where one is going with their art, then they do not know what they are doing with their art, however much one protests that it is 'an adventure in discovery' [so is driving drunk down an unknown road at night with the lights out, but certainly not one seen as desired]...

The consequences are two-fold... there is a false notion that thinking about what it is one is to do in their rendering is something to be avoided, as it supposedly 'dries up' the imagination or rushes away whatever 'muse' one had to begin with - which is actually an anti-human mentality, as it is one's reasoning faculty which is the human's fundamental means of survival, of being human... all the higher animals emote, as it is a development of refinement in attuning the organism to surviving more than if it not had it - but only humans cognate, have the capacity of knowing, and thus being able to act on that knowing, building on it with further knowings, taking under advisement the emotions and analyzing them as to their validity [any real basis to that emoting, or just assumptions], and flourishing then as humans in the process... no, despite most conventional notions, there is not an inherent conflict between reason and emotions - any living organism, by the grace of its living, must, of necessity, be an integrated being, humans included... the only catch is that in humans, one must learn how to use its distinguishing characteristic, as it is not an automatic... and indeed, the more it is used, the more integrated one becomes [provided, of course, one not suppress the emotions but attune them to what is known, not what is presumed]...

The second consequence is the familiar one - the so-called 'artist block', wherein there arises a problem in how to compose, or what to compose, and why compose it in the first place...

Art is a selective re-presentation of reality according to the artist's fundamental value-judgment... this is to say that the artist, in looking at the world about, selects what the artist considers [in the context] as fundamentally important to visualize - to pick and choose those aspects of the material around, and give the artist's spiritual visualization, or meaning, of it all... this, by its nature, means all works of art have themes, even if the artist does not consciously grasp what that theme may be... if the artist is more determined to think of the themes involved, to be conscious of why certain scenes or objects arranged brings about certain emotional responses, the consequences are that the results will be better composed, and the substances better chosen and more dynamic in the visualizing... further, in being so conscious of the theming, variations invariably will arise, thus widening the imaginating and increasing opportunities for further works to be rendered - an ever spiraling outward in multiple directions which in turn insure no lack of composing ideas... and no such thing as a 'block'...

"Stoned Wall"

Another whimsical work, multiple plays on the word 'stoned'... 20"x30" colored pencils on Stonehenge paper, it was inspired by seeing another's small work of colored pebbles... as with most wall works, this also implies a 'breakthrough' to the wall...

"Blue Muse"

Always an inspiring woman, sensuous, enduring, and so lifegiving - a joy to remember forever... stippled blue ink on 12"x9" stonehenge paper...

"Grove Illusion"

What at first glance is a mere landscape, on further looking turns out to be a group of trees on a bonsai tray - thus the illusion, and the implication of the power of man...

"Original Sin"

And this is the one which "Four Bitten Fruit" is the sequel to...... an off-the-cuff rendering done last year just before the fall show - and sold, it spawned interesting comments and a few ideas which probably will not be bothered with.. this idea came because of seeing two photos, one the monkey and the other a model, sitting in much the same position, so thought it clever to have them sitting on a wall together - the apple was a natural consequence, with the theme/title coming right with it....

"Four Bitten Fruit"

This is a sort of 'sequel' to one done a year ago, "Original Sin"... in this, all is essentially the same save there's an apple core in the monkey's mouth, and three partially eaten ones beside the figure...... and the theme is basically like the other one, with the humor of philosophy involved in a number, really, of metaphoric relatings here..... since the camera did a poor job of showing the monkey, enclosed is a close-up before the wall was colored......

"The Lost"

This is, for the moment, the last of my marble metaphor series...... colored pencils on 9"x12" Stonehenge paper, it is a further enrichment in striving to get marbles to look more 'there'...... the metaphor, of course, is hardly an original one, yet this is a nice presentation of the cliche...

"Anyone Can Pollock"

This is one of the few times I have deliberately done a spoofing of another's work - in this case off a movie favorite of mine, "Ratatouille"... of course, it is also a put-down of that kind of 'art' typically personified by Jackson Pollock, that spatter/drip 'vomit disposal' that doesn't even qualify as good decorative design.... in short, a quick, amusing piece to go hand-in-hand with the little rodent's initial appearance, in an old and quickly sold work called "Critic", itself a take-off of Norman Rockwell's spoofing of Pollockian mischief.... colored pencil on 20"x16' Stonehenge paper....

"Fulfilled Life"

This is the last of my series [for now anyway] of bowl of cherries.... as seen, this is life in space, the final frontier, looking down on a landmass..... it is the final quest in a full life..... 20"x30" colored pencil on Stonehenge paper... the metaphor speaks well for itself.....

"Opening Ritual, Second Cup"

This is the color version of "Opening Ritual", noting that it takes a second cup before the day becomes in full color... it is also my most ambitious use of stippling in color inks, and am quite pleased wih the result - indeed, the only thing I would wish had the fortitude to do is to carry the coloring to the four sides, namely give the light sky blue color to the blank parts..... but the tediousness of so doing is, for the present, not enough to warrant so doing..... perhaps in a later rendering.... as with the original, the only item relating to real is the cup, a somayaki - the rest is all from my head.....

"The Individualist"

This is another one using those Walking Egg Cups of Carlton Ware in England... there was to be one more in the series - "The Marching Morons", but it is the same as this, save for the one cup not having outlandish socks.... so decided not to bother with it..... 10" x 20", this still shows the set as they actually exist, except of course for the one, seen in the close-up...... colored pencils on stonehenge paper..... other than this as another symbolism of conformity in society, there is little to add beyond the individualist is, as presumed, another 'self portrait'.....

"Personal"

This is actually a study for an upcoming color version of "Opening Ritual" - to be called "Opening, Ritual, Second Cup"...... but this can and does stand on its own...... all in stipple using FW inks and a crow quill nib....... is a somayaki cup.....an heirloom, actually, from not long after the War, part II...

"Expectations"

This is a work a little different from my usual.... originally, it was to be an acrylic piece along with others done in the 11"x14" size back a couple years ago, but never gotten beyond the sketch phase..... so I decided to try doing it in colored pencil..... a pregnant woman looking out the window at what is seen in the pane's reflection, a shuttle lift-off, implying of course a link to one of those going up with her pregnancy, and the hopes of success for both...

"Opening Ritual"

The idea of this is in an obvious one - the use
of a cup, usually
one of coffee, on a shelf by a window, along
with a bonsai getting the morning light..... all in stipple
on a 20"x30" illustration board.... there is a formality
involved here, as seen in the visual, as well as in the
use of 'ritual' in the title.... other than the cup, which is a
somayaki cup, one of several I own, all is imagination, tho
inspired by real-life bonsaii and curtains.....

"The Recalcitrant"

This is one of an ongoing series of walking egg cups as made by Carlton ware in England..... they essentially are all alike save for the shoe colors and sock patterns.... in this one, an obviously different one is involved, to amusing consequence in appearances....

"Mental Escapees"

Another in my series of 'self portraits' [as, for instance, my "Full Life"], this deals with the inevitable of one 'losing one's marbles' - in this case, mine seeking to explore not only 'outside the box' but the bag as well......like the other, is 20"x30" color pencil on stonehenge paper, and despite its otherwise negativity, is actually showing possibilities 'beyond' as in expanding one's horizons.... there's a host of other metaphoric relatings to be had in this, if one looks more closely - but that is what a good rendering is all about, the continued act of contemplation.....

Close-up......

"Lemmings"

This is one in a series on the old idea of "losing one's marbles".... originally thought of it as being on a 20" x 30" stonehenge, but thought then the height be too much in wasted space, or adding too much in un-needed drafting table, so did it on a 5" x 32" piece of foamboard, and think it works well....

"Welcoming Committee"

Other than the coconut, all here is imagined, and a festive tribute to the sense of joy imparted by the traditions of the Pacific islands..... there is lots more which could have been included, but those, actually, are implied in the glass and the trimmed wood - that reason is utilized for achievement and flourishing, and is thus a part of the welcoming to newcomers.....

"The Politics of Nature"

As much a study in contrasts as it is a parody of propaganda posters, this was an attempt at invoking humor into an otherwise morbid arena of thought, especially in context of today, where there is concerted and futile effort in gaining concensus in having 'intelligence' amongst the vegetables...... one could with equal aplomb call it "Passing the Day", and have it remarking on the banalities of the 'fence chats'...... the abstract theming is actually the same in both cases....

Close-up......

"Cornered Stones"

This is a redoing of an old work of years ago, which, to my knowledge, no longer exists - and in the process improve on it, giving it a greater dynamism than the old had, to say nothing of greater color and detail.....on 40" x 32" acid free foamboard, it more appropriately displays the largeness of the arena, even as its vantage point is more restricted - or rather say, focused..... it is one of my homage works to my old friend of long ago, John Paul Sherman, who gave the theme/title to the original, and by aclimation, this as well.....

"Rubicon"

Continuing with ths same general theming, turned to a marble at the edge of the table... is a small work, 14" x 8" colored pencil on stonehenge paper...... and, as a tangent, has begun a series of marble renderings.....

close-up......

"Singularity"

One idea that had been in my mind was the notion of the 'point of no return' motif.... and thought doing another leaf rendering would fulfill it rather well - hence this work, a simple rendering of an oak leaf with attached acorn, at the point of going over the edge.... is on 9" x 12" stonehenge paper....

"Lite Life"

Another in the 'cherries is life' series, this is more the quiet view, almost a parody of the previous one..... and yet, in its way, an interesting if not complicated way of viewing one's life... colored pencil on 9" x 12" stonehenge paper...

"Full Life"

This is another in a growing series of cherries - this being, of course, a visual metaphor of 'life being a bowl of cherries'..... is colored pencil on 20" x 30" stonehenge paper..... and yes, is a personal statement of my life, all considered - or many others, when one considers all the things done and seen in the lives....

"Bearly There"

Taking a break from my more serious works, did this set of teddy bears, each with its own 'personality' and uniqueness.... a fun project with color pencils on a larger than usually done scale - 20" x 30".... there is a projected second shelf - "Bearly There Too" - which may or may not be done, in which the sax player's sax is where the Fore Bear is readying to swing the ball to [Soul Bear is that one's name]... there here - Wild Bear, Ted E Baer, Bare Bear, Hairy Bear, Cannibear, and Fore Bear, with Air Bear underneath.... the slate was the consequence of a 'save' as the pencil slipped and left an unwanted mark.... all these, btw, are from imagination with the exception of Ted E, who became the instigator of the piece.... Air Bear, of course, is taken after Lucille Ball, red hair, beady wild eyes and all....... Fore Bear, of course, was inspired by the 'Golden Bear' of golf....... the really fun deal was imaginating the shadow, visualizing in my head how it'd look, then doing it.....

"The Birthing Tree"

This is a metaphoric work of many levels.... there still are, in some parts of the world, actual birthing trees, where women go to give birth, then carry on afterwards - but what was of more import was the idea of the tree itself being the source of the life sprouting over the layers of rock off into the distance, as well as the implied same with the woman as symbol of humanity doing likewise.... another of the proper function of being human, to transform the given to suiting the wellbeing of the flourishing human......

"Venus Pool"

This was, as far as known, my first color pencil painting, from the late 60's...... no longer in existence, it marked my first attempt to create a totally imaginative scene - tho there was somewhere a reference to the figure, but long lost..... and no question of the Wrightian influence here...... my presumed hoped for idyllic life-to-be...... the photo was presumed long lost, so was a pleasure discovering it among boxed materials..... may sometime try for a remake.... and perhaps call that one - "Aphrodite's Playground"...

"Presage"

This is one of the few ever done with the use of 'models'.... the tomatoes were too great looking to not try for... the rest came from the bin in the refrig... as is with all my works, there lies a metaphorical relating involved here - and particularly note that tho a veggie still life, there is NOT a sense of decay, as seen in ever so many other such over the centuries, displaying a much different sense of life.... while more lettuce could have been used, the base view of this is one of the beginnings of a salad, yet there is, as one 'sees' when reflecting on the work, several other layers - indeed, the red onion itself implies that 'layers within layers' ....

Sullivan's Dictum

This is one of my more obscure metaphorical outings, the dictum being refered is Louis Sullivan's "Form Follows Function".... and the idea, of course, was to take the bonsai and treat it as if were a natural landscape item, instead of what it really was, on a wall ledge overlooking the waves.... one of my first attempts at using color inks, did succeed in the tree, tho wish had been able to do more with the coloring of the water... in this sense it looks much as a wood block print than the painting attempted....

Close-up... the background wasn't done at this time, tho the mouse was.....

Critical Mass Revisited

This is a return to a work done last fall, only in an 'update' fashion..... as seen, there is now a crack in the jar, hence the mouse being much further away.... this, btw, was done with color pencils..... and, as was with the original, there is a 'Harnett' carving in the panel behind.....

Bird close-up of "Mother Lode"

Mother Lode

"Mother Lode" originally was to be with pregnant figure on left, where the saplings are, and a seated figure with face turned to viewer, where the auxillary trunk is... originally, too, was a background of islets, as if the vegetation 'spawned' from this overlooking the bluff tree.... but decided wasn't necessary, as well as being tired from doing all the leaves - and that, tho hard to see in this phoro [need see them in the close-up one], are birds, more or less outlining what would have been where the lowest layering of leaves would have been..... metaphorically, is a 'nature' rendering which is actually not one, but perhaps best called a parable viewing.....

"Festival"

Another in a slowly growing series rendering in color pencil, this shows a still life just a bit different from the usual - no decaying fare here, nor flies and other bugs around - just good healthy and vibrant foods, along with a container in which to eat them, and a cup by beans, suggesting coffee to join.. and a floral decoration adding to the festivity..... the metaphoric in this is obvious, tho also obvious yet not likely to be noticed is that all are products of man - even the veggies are man-created, not wild fare - so there is as much the celebrating of being human in this as anything, the flourishing as proper to being human, and the thanks to being human so that this could have come into existence.......