Considering
that reaction is a true motivation for creativity, than I take great pride
in defying the heavy emphasis our society places on image, a result of
the constant campaigns of monetarily driven commercialism.
I
create works of art that reestablish sensitivity, refinement and depth
of understanding over spectacular gimmicks and hype as the true sensation
in a hierarchy of visual images.
The
Influence of classicism
Welcome,
everyone, I would like to introduce you to that which defines my personal
and aesthetic point of view.
The
aesthetic pursued by this body of work reflects strongly on classicist
ideologies. In this regard, it involves a thorough understanding and investigation
of visual language and all the necessary visually observed phenomena as
provided by nature.
This
attitude stems from my fascination with the academic institution of greater
understanding and my strong interest in mankind's unique ability to contemplate.
For
myself, the flavor of life is found in the mind, the soul, and most of
all the spirit of mankind. I long to reveal the deep emotional implications
that we all share: The common lineage that binds the hearts and the souls
of each of us.
As
for the viewer, I wish to provide an opportunity for everyone to identify
with the deeper and more profound depths of our emotional facility, to
remind us of the importance of each and every interpersonal humanist thought
and emotion.
It
is musculature and the biomechanics of human anatomy that reveal the true
state of our human consciousness. I find it fascinating how they react
to one's thoughts! Whether subtle or profound: Here I’m provided
with the necessary playground I need for modeling heavy volumes.
The results assume the romantic implications
of contrast and exaggeration that define all but the very sum of my aesthetic.
They surface in extreme values of lights and darks, from simple to complex
areas of oppositional and transitional shapes, forms, and marks, and when
the medium permits it: Warm and cool colors.
In regards to color! I find it liberating,
pushing it almost arbitrarily, and portraying an expressive quality through,
again, exaggeration. As for marks! I insist on celebrating them openly
for their ability to reveal the artist’s state of being.
Ultimately
I strive for the point where the physical, the mental, and the emotional
converge to project the life of the spirit through the beauty of human
anatomy. Of course, I find extreme physical activity of obvious expression
fascinating. Long-drawn stares of deep thought lead to subtle yet profound
expressions that generate intrigue and mood. Even the state of rest sets
a stage for the wonder of dream activity.
It
is in this light that I see and express my love for life and my belief
in the potential of the human spirit.
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My influences begin with the High Renaissance, Classicist
artists such as Jan Vermeer (1632-75), Peter Paul Reubens (1577-1640),
Rembrant Van Rijn (1606-69) and more recent artists' such as Theodore
Gericault (1791-1824), Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) and Lucian Freud (1922-)
Robert Henri (1865-1929) to name a few.
However it is the 16th century Mannerists with whom I truly identify. The works of El Greco, Pontormo, and most of all: Michelangelo's later works that share most of the characteristics previously described. It is through these associations that I proclaim myself along the lines of a 20th century Mannerist / Romanticist.
