Honestly, when I started creating in such a different manner, I could not see too far into the future. No way to know if the “Dimensional Abstracts” would be a passing fancy. What a relief: it has continued to develop, to intrigue and enchant me. It took a while, but I’m pleased to announce a whole new Gallery of “Energy Texture” sculptures. Yes, not paintings! One of those epiphanies was that my new art form was about more than interesting textures. From this proprietary medium and a variety of tools would emerge bas-relief sculptures (otherwise known as “low-relief”). The shapes formed by my knives are the basis of my compositions and the application of pigments was now secondary. The way the light strikes the surface can also change the lightness or darkness (value) of the composition. Or an optical illusion will form and surprise me!
Painting these intricate surfaces is great and challenging fun, especially with the gorgeous metallic, iridescent, pearl and interference pigments available today. As the paint does not add to the texture, it’s applied smoothly. UV-blocking gloss gel is brushed on as a protective finishing step.
One happy reason for this new direction for my work is that I am now free from copying photographs. For decades, my job was to paint minute details to please a client, and that the better the photograph the “better” my pastel portrait. That type of “realistic” art is much easier for regular folks to understand. Not everyone “gets” abstract art, which is fine. What matters is that I’m now, after years of restless searching, happy with the unique works of art I’m creating. Nature’s astonishing forms and boundless phenomena are still the essence of my work. My greatest influence is water in its many forms. While paddling my canoe, I’ve personally experienced its energy, the currents that I can feel beneath my hull, pushing, pulling.
When each work of art I create feels like a stepping stone in my personal path as an artist, then I know I’m headed in the right direction.
In the brand new “Energy Texture Gallery” you will find, as of December 2021, forty 6” square “stepping stones.” These are experimental pieces which have allowed me to play, to try out new tools, to continually ask myself, “why not?” Each is a little piece of energy inspired by the natural forms of our world. Still, I think of them as sketches or samples.
That’s one reason they’re priced at only $35! Another important reason is that I really want anyone to be able to own original works of art. And in a world awash with images digital and printed, my fun little 3-D sculptures provide that. While some passages might be repeatable, no way I could ever make a copy of these guys! The current craze for NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) which are one-of-a-kind and impossible to reproduce, and command prices in the millions, proves my point: people want to own something cool that nobody else possesses. All of my Dimensional Abstracts provide that experience at a far more reasonable price! Plus, you can’t hold a Non-fungible token in your hand and admire its magic in the light.
For their small size, these Energy Texture sculptures pack a mighty punch; each starts out on an artist’s stretched canvas, then is lovingly sculpted and painted with care using the highest quality acrylic products, which includes the edges, so no frame is needed. Even better, they come with a special metal hook that allows them to be hung from any direction on your wall. They will fit nicely in small spaces and as the light changes throughout the day, they will too, unlike a typical 2-D image. With a strong light raking over their surface, amazing optical illusions will emerge to surprise you.
And who doesn’t love GOOD surprises, right?
One more thing about my sculptures; when I realized that a person with visual impairment might enjoy them even more than those of us with sight, I had a very emotional reaction. For people who “see” with their fingertips, I think these intricate surfaces will provide a wonderfully tactile adventure!
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