Typically, my paintings are rooted in metaphysical or psychological concepts, and while a landscape may play a role in the composition, it is usually secondary to the central idea. I wanted to break from this tradition and create a few landscape paintings purely for their aesthetic beauty. One such piece is Shaded Grove, which was inspired by a view from Descanso Gardens in Southern California.
This symbolic painting depicts the meeting of two opposites. Taking place in a desolate landscape, the personification of matter rises from the ground, reaching out to a celestial force.
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14).
That parable from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount inspired my 1980 painting, Two Roads. While artists have depicted scenes from the Bible since at least the 3rd century, my aim was to create an image unlike any seen before: an in-depth portrayal of the ultimate duality through symbolic imagery.
On casual observation, one sees the subject of this painting to be a beautiful woman wading on the ocean shoreline; however, there is much more to it! Viewing with careful scrutiny reveals a mystery hidden in plain sight. The true concept behind this artwork is the phenomenon known as Pareidolia; seeing familiar shapes in unexpected places where none actually exist.
This 24” square piece is all that remains of a huge 4’ x 8’ background painting, originally created for my 1982 animated short film, Encounter. It was the largest painting I had ever made, but unfortunately an 8’ wide painting was just too impractical to keep! After finishing the movie, I cut it down drastically and kept only the best portion.
For a long period, I was focused on my animation career and family life leaving little time or energy for painting. Except for a few quick studies, I had not made any serious personal paintings for about 18 years! Then, in 2010, I decided to end my dormant period and get back to the easel! The plan was to begin in a small and simple manner in order to bring my skills up to speed; therefore, I started with this piece which I entitled Gypsy Dancer.