Before Thought: The Transcendentalist
Acrylic, mixed media, wood, canvas over shaped support

Commentary:


Symmetrically balanced wood bars frame and incorporate the wall as part of this shaped canvas. The interior space of a dark chevron pattern provides the ground for an illuminated off-center target-like circle bisected by a raised horizontal bar. A triangle shape, edged with white lines pointing inward, interacts with the raised bar to create an arrow. Painted with a golden yellow, the triangle highlights the innermost section of the halo of circles. Arrows also arise from the top and bottom of this shaped canvas pointing outwards. An arrow and target are two symbolic motifs that emerge from the structure of this painting. A possible meaning gleaned from the painting: the direction to take in reaching an objective, such as transcendence and inner enlightenment, is complete embrace of inner and outer worlds.

Pretzel Logic
Oil, metal leaf, on wood, aluminum, canvas over shaped panel
30 x 26 x 3.5 inches

Commentary:

The picture plane, structured with triangles, is irregularly divided into halves of black and white with a raised central yellow vertical bar running down the middle. This yellow bar casts a sort of illusory transparent “shadow” and connects to a similar silver bar that twists behind it and likewise actually extends out from the picture plane but to the side. The two combined create a kind of twisted pretzel shape. In this case the “shadow” illusion (the virtual) and the yellow bar (actual) hold the painting together suggesting a mixed reality that necessitates the infinite questioning/wondering of the illogical and logical that intertwine to make this world.

Infinite Jest
Oil on wood and canvas over shaped panel
36 x 27 x 2.5 inches
Modulus
acrylic, wood, wire mesh, canvas over shaped panels
33 x 20 x 3.75 inches
Decoy
Oil on aluminum, wood, canvas over shaped panel
33.75 x 29.75 x 2.25 inches
Swordsman: Sever the Edge Between Past and Future
acrylic, fabric collage, aluminum, wood, canvas over shaped stretcher
71 x 41 x 2 inches
Lines of Direction: Take No Center
oil on wood, aluminum plate and canvas over shaped support
51.5 x 39.5 inches
Catch-22
oil, acrylic, ink on aluminum plate, wood on canvas over shaped panel
36 x 26 x 2 inches

Commentary:

Includes text: "He knew everything there was to know about literature (art), except how to enjoy it.” This statement became analogous in my mind to the heavy emphasis in the art world on concept and text as opposed to visual appeal and just seeing. I was feeling constantly frustrated having to read wall text in museums and galleries about an art work, (which ended up ironically more interesting than actually looking at the art piece), and so my frustration came out as a reversal in this painting—a graphic gestalt of strong visual appeal, amplified with the 22 red bars to draw one in as another kind of catch, and a buried text and concept (a catch-22) regarding the operation of the art industry and art world success for me at that moment in time.

Parallel Progression
oil on wood, canvas over panels
40.25 x 33.25 x1.75 inches
Chasing Shadows
acrylic, wood, mixed media, canvas over shaped panel
29 x 25 x 3.25 inches
Cipher
oil on aluminum plate, wood and canvas over shaped support
39.25 x 33.25 inches
Rectangles
Oil on wood, aluminum, canvas over shaped panel
30 x 20 inches
Phantom City
oil on canvas, wood, aluminum plate over shaped support
54 x 38.5 2.75 inches
And/Both
oil on canvas, wood, aluminum plate, plaster cast spheres over shaped support
41 x 38.5 x 3 inches
Gold-toned Lantern
oil and mixed media on board
30 x 17 inches
Deviation
oil on canvas, wood, aluminum plate over shaped support
45 x 44 x 2 inches
Horizon Line
oil on canvas, wood, over shaped support
38 x 57 x 2 inches
Counterbalance
Oilon canvas,wood over shaped panel
30 x 27 inches
Painterly Architectonics (G)
Oil on mixed media,canvas over shaped panel
36.5 x 26.75 x 2.25 inches
Paintrly Architectonics (O)
Oil on canvas, wood over shaped panel
37 x 28.5 x 1.75 inches
Arising
Oil, wax on wood and canvas over panel
73 x 35 x 2.75 inches
Black Lantern
oil on mixed media on board
30 x 17 inches
Take 2
oil on mixed media and canvas over shaped support
36.75 x 28.75 x 3 inches