Artist statement
I have been painting and sculpting and producing ceramic tiles for 40 years. There are many influences on my work, especially Picasso’s work during his surrealist period. Nature’s forms and pre-Columbian sculpture have also been a strong influence on my work. I love the human face and it is present in almost all my work. My principal goal is to create objects of beauty with vibrant colors and with lots of action and energy. I love the contrast between chaos and control. I work small therefore making my work more intimate and accessible.
Bio
I began studying art as a child and continued through high school, and graduated as a major in art from Windham College. Throughout a successful career in the wine importing business, I continued to produce ceramic tiles, watercolors, and sculpture. In 2015, I cut back from wine importing to embrace a full time studio practice.
Work and exhibition description
I have produced 30 tiles over the last 2 years, all in 6 inch by 6 inch in dimension. The theme is the human face either individually or in groups. I break up the space in a cubist fashion – some of the faces are quite disturbed or anguished. Some of the colors are flesh toned and quite muted or they can be very brightly colored. The tiles are very emotional and agitated, reflecting the crazy times we live in. Others are less frenzied, and the forms become more important than the emotions, yet there are always faces.
My recent sculptures are glazed with very bright colors, in contrast with my older sculptures which were not glazed. The bright colors add to the shock value. The works are small and heavily influenced by the pre-Columbian sculptures that my family collected when I was growing up. My work is generally influenced by all forms of primitive art.
My recent paintings are a culmination of many years and many styles and are quite abstract yet have images of the face hidden in the forms. They are larger format than my work in the preceding period, and combine watercolor and gouache media. I paint by section as opposed to an all-over field style. The contrast of hard edges bordering chaotic blurry forms allows the forms to pop out.