Working in Wood

One of my favorite art forms is wood sculpture. It is a very slow time consuming activity but I find it to be meditative and relaxing. Many of my wood projects tend to be religious in nature. There is something about the reality of the wood, the naturalness that lends the medium to religious imagery; at least for me. There is a rich tradition of wood being used to express the crucifixion of Jesus and other Biblical scenes. I feel comfortable working along side with that tradition even in a time when many artists have left it or no longer have a connection with faith. Faith, the Christian faith is integral to the story of humanity and will continue to be so.
  The above piece is one that I had planned out some time ago and I am only now digging into it. It will be an abstract cross design with many layers and finally an antique stain.

Happy Easter

The Lord Jesus has risen! The greatest passion of all. 

Painting Fast and Small

Stacked Cups and Egg, 6*6

Light in the Alley, 5*7

I've been painting fast and on a small scale recently. I've been inspired by the "daily painting" movement that many painters have subscribed to. It certainly is a good way to gain skill, but also a way to sharpen one's artistic eye, always looking for beauty and uniqueness in the world. There is so much good, and praiseworthy material to be found! But you have to actively look for it and not let the darkness in. I like the idea of the setting evening light falling on the back alley, illuminating trash cans into objects of beauty, causing a pathway to be for just a short time.

Crucible

I recently finished this painting keeping with the unique still life theme. I setup the scene in my garage against the unpainted wall. The vase is a find from an antique store. It was small, delicate and had an interesting color and reflecting qualities. The wood "chunk" that the vase is sitting on is a block of Brazilian cherry that I intended to create a carving from. That hasn't happened yet but test carving marks were made on the edges. I wanted to create a sense of atmosphere and ambiguity in the background. Is it a wall or some sort of landscape? I titled the piece "Crucible". The intense red of the platform of wood, the turbulent background caused me to think of such. The work is to be entered into an upcoming "Artists who Teach" show here in San Antonio.

Some Daily Paintings

These two paintings were quick observational "studies", each taking 3 or so hours. This type of technique has become appealing to me lately; kind of like plein air painting, done on the spot with quick decisions as opposed to longer studio paintings where decisions are planned and paint is mixed in a sort of long ritual. Both are valid methods used to achieve different ends. I do like the spontaneity and life of the quicker observational work, these both measure 9*12. Let me know what you as the viewer thinks of them.

A Few More

Recent Paintings

I've dove right back into painting again. The last three months I have been able to produce at least 11 works. New found inspiration, and a desire to turn out artwork has led me to interesting avenues within my art. I have begun to appreciate still life subject matter and have enjoyed painting from life, where an artist truly begins to sharpen their skill and see with their own eyes. Not that photography doesn't have a place in the making of good art. Just because an artist uses a camera as an aid does not mean they are not skilled or justified as a real painter. The final image is of concern. Does it carry artistic and creative value? Or is it boring, repetitive, and have the air of copying someone else's ingenuity? I hope my newest work has some of that newness and vitality.