It has been a little while since I posted new work. Things have been a bit slower in the studio lately and I delayed some photography until I purchased better studio lighting. With all that taken care of, I can share the three newest pieces from the studio. Each is quite different, so I’ll try to explain what’s behind them.
First up is a painting that falls in line with what I made in Vermont and when I first returned to my studio:
Not Yet Titled #1
Acrylic paint, polyacrylic on Walnut plywood
24″ x 24″ x 1″
2010
Not Yet Titled #1
Acrylic paint, polyacrylic on Walnut plywood
24″ x 24″ x 1″
2010
There are two new developments in this piece. One, I’ve used two “body” colors instead of the usual one. Two, the pinstriping does not surround a solid block of color, but instead follows the path of the wood lines. I think this is a successful departure in that it’s a different way to move the viewer’s eye through the piece and it activates the space in the picture in a more cohesive way.
Here is the second piece I wanted to share:
Through and Through
Polyacrylic on Luan Plywood
23.5″ x 23.5″ x 1″
2010
Through and Through (digital composite view)
Polyacrylic on Luan Plywood
23.5″ x 23.5″ x 1″
2010
This second piece is not a huge departure for me as it follows in the path established by a piece created two years ago for a show called “Aquifer.” In that piece, I used clear coat to create the appearance of saturated wood. It was clear coat on raw wood. Here, I’ve used a glossy top coat on top of matte clear coat. The result is that from the front, the piece looks like a regular piece of plywood with no alterations. However, as you walk across the piece, light will catch the glossy top coat in such a way to reveal the saturation. It’s a very subtle piece and I imagine that most viewers will miss it completely. I’m ok with that and will instead embrace the experience of those viewers who do see it. I look forward to seeing viewers’ reactions first hand as this piece will be in an upcoming show that opens on May 14 (details to come).
Here is the third piece:
Not Yet Titled #2
Polyacrylic on Red Oak Wood
21″ x 21″ x 1″
2010
Not Yet Titled #2
Polyacrylic on Red Oak Wood
21″ x 21″ x 1″
2010
Of these three new pieces, I am most excited about this one. For almost 4 years now, I’ve had the idea of creating my own version of the wooden pallet, much like what you might see at Home Depot. These crude devices are instrumental in commerce, but I imagine their form is often overlooked. I am drawn to both their utility and their appearance. In the piece above, I have created a more refined and impractical version of the pallet. 1/4″ Red Oak slats are laid on top of a Red Oak support frame. It is only held together with glue, whereas the standard industrial pallet is held together with rusted nail or maybe screws. I wanted to connect my non-utilitarian pallet to nature, though, so I have used polyacrylic to paint a rough circle on the piece. The idea here is that perhaps the pallet is actually useful and at one point held a barrel of some sort on it. Perhaps the barrel overflowed with rain water or maybe condensation that formed on the side ran down to the pallet. With the barrel removed what remains is a pallet with a saturated circle impressed upon it. The circle has a perfect edge on the inside and a wavy/rough edge on the outside, perhaps caused by different amounts of saturation. From a distance the piece reveals itself as a very refined object with a perfect circle on it. Up close, however, hints of practicality and real experience are revealed.
This piece will lead to many more and, in fact, I have a much larger one almost done in the studio now. It measures approximately 37″ x 47″ and is made of Poplar. It will take on some of the characteristics of Through and Through above.
Good things are happening in and out of the studio. In my next post I will share details about my four upcoming group shows.


















