Artist’s statement

“There are two men inside the artist, the poet and the craftsman. One is born a poet. One becomes a craftsman.”
— Émile Zola

Over 30 years ago I started my art career as a painter but in 1990 I put away my brushes and began concentrating solely on digital imagery. Using the computer as a tool, I attempted to express my political, spiritual, and humanistic concerns. Inspiration ranged from a particular moment in my life to an event taking place on the world stage. I tried, however, to keep the work open-ended enough to allow personal interpretation on the part of the viewer. I saw my role as a visual artist as that of a poet but instead of using words, I composed with images, combining them in unique ways to create a personal statement.

A couple of years ago I felt the impulse to challenge myself by painting again and began doing small landscapes and still lifes. I soon discovered the daily painting movement where artists produce a small painting each day and post it on their website. While I never attempted to create seven paintings a week I did benefit from the discipline of painting on a frequent basis. By working small, I was able to take risks that I never would have taken with larger pieces. Likewise, it was easy to abandon a painting that just wasn’t working and move forward with a new one. My overarching goal has been to become a better craftsman without diminishing the poetry.

When the Amy E. Tarrant Gallery offered me the opportunity to exhibit I made a commitment to create 81 small paintings. The exact number of paintings derives from the fact that there were 81 days from the day I accepted their offer until the deadline for hanging the exhibit. I plan to show 27 of the small paintings at a time in three monthly installments.

I thank the Amy E. Tarrant Gallery for its support and for its trust.