From the archives

I updated the paintings page of this website, confining the work to approximately the last seven years so these images had to go. They exhibit my more expressionistic style, and some are painted collages, juxtaposing images from my personal photographs as well as those found in special collections and archives.

oil on canvas, 30 x 40 inches, 2012
oil on canvas, 36 x 36 inches, November 27, 2012
oil on canvas 30 x 40 inches 2011
oil on canvas 30 x 40 inches 2011

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Robert Raasch’s The Summer Between

I haven’t written about books I am reading in a while. But Robert Raasch’s novel The Summer Between is great in all of the right ways. It is well written, with characters who make me want to continue reading until the end. Thus far, I am being introduced to the main character’s family and childhood. Because it takes place in the crazy yet kind (in my mind anyway) 1970s I can relate. It is bringing back some of my own memories of that time even though I was raised on Long Island, not New Jersey. I am looking forward to getting to the New York City days. The cover is well done too.

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Ganymede

I experimented with a new surface for this portrait of Ganymede. It is called Alumacomp and it is manufactured by New York Central. I purchased it from Jerry’s Artarama, where I get most of my painting supplies. The inspiration for Ganymede is the New York Mets baseball player Drew Smith.

Ganymede

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Daniel in the Lion’s Den

This painting was created in response to our perilous political times. We are indeed in the Lion’s Den and though I do believe in a higher force at work, only our common sense will save us. Though it is nice to think that faith alone can be a guiding light, we all see faith so differently, that in the political context it gives less comfort than perhaps it should.

Daniel, complete
Daniel, in process
Daniel, in process
Daniel, in process, detail of face

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No chains

I decided to exclude the chains. It is enough to depict two people bound together struggling to be free. Or is only one aching to be free? Difficult to tell from this image. So often people have their epiphanies after they destroy others. And the destruction may not be literal or obvious. It is enough to wear away at someone’s confidence or their self-worth. Often, one’s self-actualization is an excuse to think of oneself above others. I still like the abstract background these figures inhabit. I am reminded of the work of David Park. It has always been a goal of mine to depict figures in a landscape but to have the elements appear to be organically formed, that is, to grow from each other. Complicated, and difficult to achieve.

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