Gallery Talk January 20, 2011

I want to "Thank You", Texas A&M University-Kingsville Department of Art, for the invitation to exhibit in your wonderful gallery space. It is always a pleasure to share my work and I do hope that it will inspire creativity and enjoyment for all who view it.

This exhibition is entitled "Deep Connection to Nature". Nature, our only true teacher, can transcend our thoughts, desires and curiosities and push creativity beyond limits if we will only be still and listen. Some of my interest is to express the delightful curiosity of nature, particularly the color and light quality. I also delight in the many choices of media available to me and feel free to express in a 2 or 3 dimensional manor.

A friend of mine recently coined a word for my work as "Dremagine" or "Imadream" as they see it as a collaboration of my imagination and dreams. It is a curious thought to me. As I soak in the details. As surely, it is the "essence" of my expression and the process of delightful encounter that truly intrigues me. To live a life of creative encounter so to speak.

The Mural, 8 panel work

This is a expression capturing the essence of a very special garden in Chateauneuf De Grasse, a small village in the South of France, where I lived for some time during a 6 month Sabbatical. The garden belonged to Mr. Frank Avery Wilson who was an abstract action painter for England in the 1950's. Then at 80 years of age, he was writing a book on the quantum study of art and science, which was a great inspiration to me. He had given me the key to his garden as he returned to Norway and also one of his first books, "Art as Understanding" by Frank Avery Wilson.

The gate depicted on one of the panels represents a steep 20 foot step walk up to the garden. Over the stone wall spread the rolling foot hills of the French Alps towards the Mediterranean Sea. One can see as far as from the Southern coast of Italy to Saint Tropez. My expression was to capture the dazzling color and dappled light of the garden along with the sultry breeze of the Mediterranean Sea.

Chez Moi Series

An on-going process of creating works inspired from nature that occur at my 1850's home and studio. The creative life is so much more than those which surround us but that which lies within us, our thoughts, desires and curiosities. A vast world beyond, transcending the earthly world. This is expressed with any material that I find inspiring at the moment and either 2 or 3 dimensional, as again, it is the essence through the process that I am after.

What Strange Birds Are We

Influenced by loss and inspired to begin again, "Portraits" of special people that I have known through out my life. These are but a few ... do you see yourself in one?

Glass

This hot sculpted glass work was created and produced in Beeville, "Beevillian" glass or Murano, Italy. My interest is in the solid sculpture form that lends itself to glass as a sculptural media for expression. A material so alive and fluid that a meditative dance occurs, it influencing me as I influence it until the collaboration is complete. As Alfredo Barbini once said, "You do not force glass, but follow glass."

Drawing on Steel with Fire

I have recently become intrigued by drawing on steel with fire. The gestural line and excitement of making marks with fire has become extremely exciting and intriguing to me. These drawings seem to be moving towards a sculptural form incorporating glass as well. I do not know where I will end up but the process is extreme. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do!