Butterfly Lungs (Aztec Skipper)

16" x 12"
oil on panel

I like the symmetry and duality of the butterfly form and the human form. Some oppositions they evoke are: halves and a core, internal and external, fragility and strength, function and beauty. I like the juxtaposition of implied movement: the breathing lungs and the pumping wings. The brown, black, and purple are striking in their richness, but can also seem unpleasant, the way anatomy is simultaneously amazing and repulsive. It ties our bodies to nature, a connection environmentalists are trying to re-establish. I think the main feeling behind this strange image is that of purpose and potential futility. There is no guarantee that all the effort will result in meeting some tangible goal. There is the belief that the striving is important. It is in opposition to apathy.

It is the icon of my daily life, rinsing out jelly jars and putting clothing tags in the paper recycling bin. It is eating Tofurky (very good in a sandwich with cranberry sauce). I was glad to see a recent article* in the New York Times by Mark Bittman address the environmental impact of eating meat. He suggests the federal government's daily recommendation for protein intake is inflated. Gee, could meat lobbyists be involved?! It's not just "Big Tobacco" out there, it's "Big Meat".

A striking analogy from the article is this quote:

"To put the energy-using demand of meat production into easy-to-understand terms, Gidon Eshel, a geophysicist at the Bard Center, and Pamela A. Martin, an assistant professor of geophysics at the University of Chicago, calculated that if Americans were to reduce meat consumption by just 20 percent it would be as if we all switched from a standard sedan — a Camry, say — to the ultra-efficient Prius."

I do drive a Prius, but I confess to the world that I eat bananas. They travel far to reach me and I sympathise with all the carnivores out there, because it is hard to give things up. I eat Tofurky; I don't know if I can give up bananas.

*used with permission

Orange Self-Portrait With Butterflies

12" x 16"

oil on panel

I think the painting is peaceful in mood, created in part by economy of design elements. Atmospheric perspective allows for lines and butterflies to come in and out of focus. The gray-white air moves forward and back, now figure, now space. The orange changes saturation and moves towards pink while a right angle near my shoulder suggests a chair or perhaps a the corner of a painting, maybe one of butterflies. A large butterfly is connected to my head, popping out of my brain, a live thought bubble. Butterflies are creatures of dreams, of hope and potential. My painted self is my real self.

Glass Box, Hand

36" x 24"

oil on panel

The black squares in some of my paintings take on three dimensions in the form of this glass cube. The setting is some kind of existential wasteland, a non-descript place of change, as indicated by the loose brushwork. It seems as if a wind is blowing, the only thing to ground you is the brown bit of horizon. The hand seems ghost-like, as transparent as the box, defined only by a few lines. The glass cube seems to make the hand a bit more substantial. It is an offering, resting on the outstretched hand, a precious bit of color in a vacuous space, water in a desert.

This could be a metaphor for a few different things. It is a picture about strength and vulnerability. It is about gift-giving. A gift has a part of the giver in it, in the thought required to select it and present it. There is the hope that the receiver will receive it well. I did not always know how to accept a gift graciously. It is easy to slip into practical thinking or to be too much of a connoisseur when looking on a new object coming into one's house. It's better to think about the giver instead of the thing or that the thing is a piece of the giver. Britney Spears, whatever her situation, has it right in her new song, Piece of Me. A performer does put a piece of themselves out there, no matter how private they may or may not want to be.

The painting is not only about giving, but is about extending oneself. It is about taking a risk, going into unfamiliar territory, potentially bruising one's ego (the glass box). The path is not fully illuminated but may be worth exploring.

Hand, Butterfly (Ipidecla miadora)

36" x 24", oil on panel

I bet you missed the butterflies. They're not gone; I've got a few fish frying.

There aren't many details in this painting. It makes you focus on the way the sections of the muscles of the hand are similar to the sections in the butterfly's wings. The painting is not mamal vs. insect but rather living thing and living thing. The butterfly is depicted fully, while the human is only represented by the hand and forearm. The butterfly is more of a character, in a way, than the person is, more of an individual; it has a face. Maybe the hand could be the Hand of God with a radiant, holy gold color. It has a monumental feel. The background has a leaf-like shape to it, echoing the form of the butterfly's wings. The subject's large scale, bold color, and focus on nature relates to O'Keefe.

I'm getting more studio time now that the holidays are over. Back to frying fish (no more cookies, thank goodness).

Green Circle, Blue Square

24" x 24", oil on panel

No, your eyes are not deceiving you; the circle in the center of this blue expanse is green, not yellow like the sun. It relates to my previous post in that it has an unexpected twist with nature references present but skewed. The blue subtley shifts and is not painted flatly like a wall or a sign. I like the clarity in the piece, its serenity and confidance. It has a good vibe for the New Year. It is a focal point like the Target logo, but less wired. Enjoy, and if you have holiday returns to make, stay and look a little longer. Happy New Year!