The specific characteristics of a place - its natural geology, topography combined with evidence of its human structures - form the jumping off point of my paintings. Some are part of a series on the L.A. River. These began as small paintings on site and progressed to large studio paintings combining acrylic collage and oil on canvas. The combination of nature, i.e. the river, with the static engineered bridge architecture, allowed me to have fun with the anarchic calligraphy of spray paint markings. These paintings became more abstract with the accidental nature of collage and fragments of the words and color of graffiti.

My latest work is oil on canvas. The subject comes from a recent visit to Peru and an extended visit to Laos and Cambodia. This is a big area and many paintings are unfinished, but they reflect my interest in Hindu mythology, archeological ruins, stone, cities built on the confluence of two rivers (like L.A.), Buddhist shrines, the passage of time on all human endeavor, decay, folk art and expressionistic religious imagery. In these newer works I also veer more into abstraction; most of the time the imagery is obliterated in favor of an improved composition.

Right now I’ve painting over much of my work and doing a lot of sanding.


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