I grew up in Chicago, which partly explains why I relish a certain grittiness and no-nonsense approach to life. Living and working in Japan for seven years, and especially studying calligraphy, also profoundly influenced me. And, so did working more than 30 years as a reporter and editor. In the nearly ten years since I’ve been working as an artist, story telling remains important to me, though my tools have changed.
Art making provides the prism through which I clarify what’s important to me, the means to deepen my understanding of the world and reveal something new and relevant. Some current work focuses on exile: the agony and renewal which human beings suffer and discover when they choose, or are forced to leave their place. Another new series portrays the yawning gap between rich and poor.
I make abstract monotypes and East Asian calligraphy, both traditional characters and gestural images. I start with a Plexiglas plate and oil based inks to create color and texture. Then, using graphite, colored pencils, paint, or pastels, I begin drawing images into the artwork – images that emerge from the monotype itself. What I see reflects what I’ve been thinking about. This combination of materials, process, analysis and projection enables me to merge intellect and intuition. I combine the layered translucency of the multi-drop printed painting with photo transfer, collage and brush writing.
Making art helps me to see the beauty of the world with more delight, to witness its tragedy with more clarity and compassion, and, hopefully, to create a similar experience for the viewer.
Artist’s Statement
I grew up in Chicago, which partly explains why I relish a certain grittiness and no-nonsense approach to life. Living and working in Japan for seven years, and especially studying calligraphy, also profoundly influenced me. And, so did working more than 30 years as a reporter and editor. In the nearly ten years since I’ve been working as an artist, story telling remains important to me, though my tools have changed.
Art making provides the prism through which I clarify what’s important to me, the means to deepen my understanding of the world and reveal something new and relevant. Some current work focuses on exile: the agony and renewal which human beings suffer and discover when they choose, or are forced to leave their place. Another new series portrays the yawning gap between rich and poor.
I make abstract monotypes and East Asian calligraphy, both traditional characters and gestural images. I start with a Plexiglas plate and oil based inks to create color and texture. Then, using graphite, colored pencils, paint, or pastels, I begin drawing images into the artwork – images that emerge from the monotype itself. What I see reflects what I’ve been thinking about. This combination of materials, process, analysis and projection enables me to merge intellect and intuition. I combine the layered translucency of the multi-drop printed painting with photo transfer, collage and brush writing.
Making art helps me to see the beauty of the world with more delight, to witness its tragedy with more clarity and compassion, and, hopefully, to create a similar experience for the viewer.