Every canvas a soul
Each brush stroke a breath of life
Every color a strand of a dream
Each time its heart beats when, its beauty is seen
- D.G Fraser
I grew up and live in Peabody Massachusetts with my partner, David of 25 years. I went to public schools in the sixties and seventies . It was rather a hellish existence for a lispy gay kid with undiagnosed ADD. This of course led to bullying and daily altercations. My mom showered me with tons of toys to keep me occupied. Art supplies were abundant and I would spend hours with my pencils, paints and clay. By high school my interest in creating art was soon merged with my fascination with anatomy. At that time I had aspirations of being a surgeon but it was my love and appreciation of art that held my heart. In college I studied graphic design and advertising and after working several years in these fields I of course lost interest. I found some solace with my Native American art gallery followed by another creative position owning a floral design studio. Through all these trials and tribulations I found that my need to create art has always been my true calling.
My influences have always been Michelangelo and Da Vinci whose works fueled my interest in anatomy. The male form in particular is where I find inspiration. My journey has taken me through many artistic endeavors be it oil, acrylic, stained glass, fresco or sculpture, always with the concentration being male figurative works while focusing on expressionistic interpretations.
I think as artists we are storytellers. We merge our emotions, history and feelings into a convolution of imagery, texture and color. I feel I have been successful if I can make you stop for just a moment and make you question what is going on here or if it evokes a personal connection to the piece. I have always found great peace and a profound sense of accomplishment when creating art.
In this series, entitled EMBRACING OUR SHADOW , I am exploring male features, expression and mood, in combination with thought provoking headlines and stories from newspapers. It is a challenging project aligning the perfect story with the essence of each man. I literally leafed through hundreds of newspapers and magazines to collage these fascinating men with imaginative and in some cases true stories.
The work is done in acrylic washes, stains and layered varnish on wood. In some instances gold leaf is applied as well.
I believe that art has no boundaries in its meanings and interpretations. It is the viewer that gives back life when they look into the artists’ soul. Enjoy !