About the Work

My recent work has diverged into two directions that explore interesting possibilities and fresh looks for the still life genre.

Geometric Structures  In this direction the still life objects are brought into an interior setting with an imagined background work of abstracted art. Similar to the stillscapes, the foreground and background elements interplay with each other. Compositional and color juxtaposing are amplified between the two planes. Light, composition, color, form, and line are explored in this genre. In these works a sometimes exposed underpainting adds two dimensional interest to the work surface, employing a modern sensibility.

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Stillscapes  This is a term I have coined describing still lifes integrated into the exterior world which provide an interesting juxtaposing and interplay of light, composition, color, and texture.  The foreground components are stripped down to focus on form and represent simplified, utilitarian groupings that sometimes include interesting twists. In their exterior surroundings the foreground objects take on a monumental feel. Titles of the work initiate dialog and interplay with the viewer.  In some cases the still life objects take on a humorous anthropomorphic or narrative expression, providing an undercurrent to the contemplative paintings. Juxtaposed clouds contrast with the foreground objects and provide a moment of ambiguity, causing the viewer to question whether the storms are approaching or passing. The background clouds and landscapes become as important as the foreground objects in the compositional architecture of the painting.