A work of art should
arouse one’s senses on a multitude of levels. In my own work
I primarily hope to excite the viewer through humor, color and
rhythm. I work in both acrylics and mixed media on canvas. My
current focus is on ordinary people and how they appear while
passing through a particular moment in time. What is significant is
the portrayal of underlying humor, whimsy and curiosity that these
individuals evoke through their ordinary acts.
Throughout
the many years that I’ve been creating art, my focus most
often comes back to the human subject. During the late 60's my
interest was in pure abstraction. The human figure began to
interest me early in the 70's. In the 80's there was the influence
of a career in textile design that moved me towards a more
decorative style. In the 90’s, I became involved in the
teaching of computer graphics. This was to have a profound
influence in aiding and developing my more current style, which
takes me back to the subject of... people. I sometimes start at my
computer, where I have stored digital photos of human subjects. It
is from this source that I find an inspiring figure as a starting
point for a new work. In some of my more recent work I’ve
incorporated torn pieces of digital printouts of my characters. The
part of me that is the “digital artist”, is very
inspired by the computer’s ability that enables me to
manipulate my subject and its color energy. The “fine
artist” in me is then able to pull it all together on my
canvas .
During the
last 2 years I have remained interested and focused on mixed media,
but no longer utilizing computer manipulated printouts as my media
for collage. While planning a piece for a juried and themed show
that focused on "gluttony", I was inspired by food and in
particular, the carnal delight of candy. So began my latest body of
work where I am using torn and cut candy wrappers to give
representational form, color, light and movement to my figures.
This choice of media has enhanced the humor and whimsy that is so
integral a part of my work.
Always, my
human subjects are exaggerated in size, both their bodies and
extremities, which is intended to reinforce the sense of energy and
purpose in their act. I attempt to charge my artwork with the
vibrancy of color and movement that is derived from the action of
life.