Across the River Same

oil - 72x52 inches

This painting is revisits an idea I’ve explored before in a painting of the same title – Across the River Same. Both build on a thought from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus some 2,500 years ago, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

The subject matter comes from a conversation I had with myself about storage buildings. I was expressing my hatred for these blights on the landscape as blatant examples of a materialistic culture. I also asked myself if perhaps the persistence of possessions offered something intangible. Beyond nostalgia, I believe objects serve our souls, wrapped themselves in matter. Things are magic, allowing us to recover and relive; they are extensions of our corporeal identity.

Sometimes a rug just ties the room together too.

Bout Poster - 17x11 inches

Seat Yourself

oil - 50x50 inches

A private conversation in a public place was the prompt for this painting. The cropped exit sign, broken Dos Equis bottle, table and chair legs, and more subtle hints throughout, all give hints as to the topic of this conversation.

Seat Yourself - detail

VI Art Walk 2011

17x11 inches

Virginia Intermont College hosts our first Art Walk on November 11, 2011. The event includes artwork from students and faculty in locations across the comfortably walkable campus. Theatre performances of Shakespeare’s The Tempest are also happening the same weekend.

Little City or Bust

Bout Poster - 17x11 inches

The bout title was just bursting with possibilities. Come to the bout on October 8th and get a poster while you’re there.

 The illustration went through some revisions so you might like to see a crop of an earlier version

The design was made entirely in Adobe Illustrator CS5 and no bulge filters were used.

Across the River Same

oil - 44x72 inches

Heraclitus said we cannot step into the same river twice. We hold on to things as representations of moments, people, places, and past self-images. This fictional, née mythological Atlas Storage facility bears these things we cannot bear to lose.

Prometheus Band

oil - 70x60 inches

After seeing another artist’s painting of Prometheus bound, I started thinking about how I could make the subject my own. I also had in my head an image of one of my generic drone types cutting a little rug. By the time it all came together I had cast one of my favorite local bands, Annabelle’s Curse, as Prometheus and painter and picker Sam Morrow as Man. My go-to bar, Machiavelli’s, sets the stage. My friend Brian Andrews plays Epimetheus in the background across from Pandora.

Prometheus is called the Fire Bringer and in some readings of the myth this fire is the very spark of consciousness. Music here is not only the metaphor but the conduit for this fire.
Much of my work is about the alienation and dehumanization of worker drones. Music, and art in general, can remind and remold us – making us more human.

I usually have a few colors that I become enchanted with during a painting. Cobalt Turquoise Light was a favorite here.

Toole Creek Falls

20x28 in. oil

A relaxed morning in a cool grotto with my painting buddy Kyle, a Heineken, and no sound but rushing water.

The June 25^th bout is at Freedom Hall y’all.

My poster design borrows heavily from Delacroix, whose painting incidentally also inspired the Statue of Liberty.

This week’s Loafer sports a lovely cover! There’s also the usual one color quarter-page ad inside. I adapted my bout poster theme to fit the magazine. The Loafer is the go-to publication for all the things to do and places to go in the Tri-Cities.