Where ever you are around the world, I hope your summer is off to a great start.
This painting is slated to show at the upcoming Seattle art fair at the end of July with the Billis Williams Gallery.
Around the World
Work in Progress
Getting nearer and nearer to completion, this painting is destined for an art fair in Seattle at the end of July.
Clock
A number of the clocks that I have come from the Ukraine. Last year, when war broke out, I was saddened to see that the sellers I have bought from in the past had to flee their homes, their lives and livelihoods becoming uncertain. However, I kept an eye on things and was excited to see that one of my favourite clock sellers had returned to her home in Kyiv and started her business again. So I bought some clocks from her and was surprised at how fast they arrived.
This is one of the clocks I purchased, and I liked how the face incorporated Roman numerals. It’s a simple breakdown of the simple shapes. An exercise in geometry, if you will.
Like the trophy paintings I shared last week, this one also inspired a more complex composition. Featuring a series of randomly selected books. I like the poetry a group of tiles can suggest, I like the ideas that one can imagine within the pages, like a treasure waiting to be opened.
These two paintings are in New York City showing at the George Billis Gallery. Happy to report that the large one already found its way to a collector’s home before it had a chance to hit the gallery wall.
Trophy
I recently completed another small series of larger, more complicated pieces inspired by small studies that I have had hanging around the studio for about seven months. I picked up these trophies a few years ago and painted them a few times because the textures within the tarnished surfaces themselves are what I enjoy.
Above, we have a 16-inch square study for a much larger 40 x 30-inch piece below. These pieces are currently being shown in New York City at the George Billis Gallery.
Two Group Exhibitions
I am participating in two group exhibitions this month — the first up is with the George Billis Gallery, a show featuring gallery artists in Manhattan. My contribution is shown here in the gallery window.
And quickly followed by this exhibition is the same typewriter composed face-in instead of birds-eye with the Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, North Carolina.
This invitational exhibition features study paintings shown alongside the fully realized larger version. The Robert Lange Studios always have interesting ideas for exhibitions.
Seven
I found this great little trunk with the heavily tarnished clasps, buckles, and the burst of colour from the trunk’s body. There’s a formula I like to apply that helps a painting become a reality — the repetition of the circles and the repeating shapes of the case’s metallic components, everything is almost mathematically figured.
There is significance in the number seven and the way the circular shapes of the clocks, bells, camera lenses, and flashes seem to be like clusters of bubbles, something I find satisfying. I had fun working on these two pieces. They’ll be shown at the upcoming Art Market San Francisco art fair on April 20-23 with the Billis Williams Gallery.
Speedwriter
I’m on a bit of a typewriter painting frenzy. This is the fifth typewriter I’ve been working on for the past few months. I find it interesting that I’ve chosen to focus on these machines while much of the world becomes obsessed with artificial intelligence and leaving all the actual writing up to robots.
I think the best writing only ever came from when it was a deep-thinking human act — and a physical one, where your whole body was involved. So I contend that these typewriter paintings have gone from a nostalgic admiration for old machines to a defiant skepticism of new technology.
Spring is in the air
I love this time of year. Here are two fresh new pieces that are now in Los Angeles at the Billis WIlliams Gallery.
I love all the symbolism of spring and the burst of new growth and life.
I’m Still Here
A few people contacted me asking if everything was going okay in my world. They were prompted by what appeared to be me vanishing into the ether. But I am still here, every day, painting as I always have and probably always will do.
I have new paintings to be part of a big art fair in San Francisco and a group show in Charleston.
Below is a glimpse of one that I just put the finishing touches on. More frequent updates will come as I get back into the groove of sharing my work after an enjoyable and refreshing hiatus.
Itoya 2023 Calendar
I’m so happy to announce that my 2023 calendar has been published by Itoya and sold exclusively in Itoya’s stores in Japan. The designers in Japan do a fantastic job making this large, sturdy calendar. It is an honour to work with them. The calendar is available for international shipping through Itoya’s website. Follow these links to the wall calendar and desk calendar.
