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Drawing 499, charcoal and conte on paper, 12 x 9", 2018, private collection, Toronto, Canada
The Suppliant, latex paint on canvas, 48 x 36", 2018 The suppliant of antiquity sought protection or mercy at the alter of gods or at the feet of kings. The once great hero Iolaus, cousin and adventuring partner of Heracles, was one such suppliant portrayed in the play "The Heracleidae" by Euripedes. Now a refugee, with the endangered family of the deceased Heracles in toe, the aged man finds his last resort at the alter of Zeus near Athens. That perennial enemy of Heracles, Eurystheus has pursued the group all over Greece, threatening all who might give them respite. Will the king of Athens, a son of Theseus, or the gods help them in their plight, or will Iolaus find his old strength again? The Brawler, latex paint on canvas, 36 x 48", 2018 Robust and powerful, this figure captures the moment a brawler throws a punch with the weight of his body behind, while guarding himself protectively with the other fist.
Drawing 514, oil pastel and graphite on paper, 24 x 18", 2018 Drawing 515, oil pastel and graphite on paper, 18 x 24", 2018
Drawing 513, oil pastel and graphite on paper, 18 x 24", 2018
Like many artists that have come before me, and the many that will follow, I have long been inspired and awed by the figures of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment". My recent painting "Stricken Man" owes a specific debt to this iconic and amazing piece below. Detail from Michelangelo's "Last Judgment", Sistine Chapel Alter, Rome The self-contained conflict of this piece is remarkable and sparks infinite speculation about the figure portrayed. A pale comparison, of course, but my "Stricken Man" takes its influence from this figure's mysterious inner turmoil. Stricken Man, latex paint on canvas, 30x48", 2018
Birds have appeared in my work since 2010. I had always wanted to include a crow into a piece, but the opportunity hadn't arisen yet. Recently a flock (or murder) of crows took up residence in our neighborhood for several days. They raised quite a commotion and this led me to believe they might have had something to tell us, a message of some kind. Because of this notion, I decided to include two crows rather than one, alluding to stories from Norse mythology. The chief god Odin employed two crows, Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory) to travel the nine realms and bring back news and information. Communion with Crows, latex & acrylic paint on canvas, 55x43", 2018
Drawing 501, oil pastel and graphite on paper, 14x17", 2018
Romanticized in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick", the historical harpooneer was indeed given a high status on whaling ships, due to their incredible physical abilities. As Melville describes, Tashtego, a Native American from the area of Martha's Vineyard known as Gay Head, was revered on the Pequod for his courage and skill with the "unerring harpoon" wielded by his "lithe snaky limbs". Like many of my pieces, this painting is meant to emphasize the figure itself, how the body creates the act suggested through pose and gesture. The ornament or accessories to the figure are often gone, creating the feeling of a fragmented ancient piece that we must understand through bodily context. Man with Harpoon, latex paint and graphite on raw canvas, 43 x 55", 2018
Reminiscent of the angels appearing in paintings throughout art history, this piece portrays an angel in the act of blowing a horn, heralding some divine event. Like many of my pieces, this painting is meant to emphasize the figure itself, how the body creates the act suggested through pose and gesture. The ornament or accessories to the figure are often gone, creating the feeling of a fragmented ancient piece that we must understand through bodily context. Angel of the Horn, latex paint on canvas, 30x48", 2018
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