Artists Statement:
I am a self-taught artist...
But that’s not to say that I am a naive or folk artist, though my work shares elements and sensibilities with those traditions. And I love those traditions very much. I suspect that you can see that by looking at my work. Folk artists often live a relatively “normal” life doing some job or career and then at some point they get a vocation or a calling from a deity or higher being... God if you will. Howard Finster and Leonard Knight (both of whose work I admire a lot) are prime examples of this. The Facteur Cheval who created “The Palais Ideal” in Hauterives, France is another, as was Simon Rodia who built the Watts towers. There are many other examples, but space and time preclude their inclusion.
By bringing up these artists, i certainly don’t mean to place myself in their class or on their level, but I do feel that I share something with them and other folk artists. Their art is very often about the relationship between themselves and the divine. And something of that is at the core of my art. I attempt in my art not only to plumb the relationship between humanity and the divine, but I also try visualize and encapsulate what the divine looks like and it’s not only an old white guy with a beard living in the clouds. I also really love all types of religious imagery, as each piece of imagery from a crucifix to a buddha sculpture is a mirror and a microcosm of the time and place in which it was created.
But it’s not all as serious as that. I also try to bring a bit of a sense of humor to my work and I hope that it shows!
PS. I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to the ILM model shop. Working there to me was the equivalent of earning a PhD in technique and surfacing and while my work obviously doesn’t have the perfection of movie miniatures, conceptually, the way I put things together owes a lot to my time there. Just having been able to observe the Grandmaster himself Lorne Petersen and many others at work and to work alongside them was an amazing education and I am grateful to have been able to do it.
Some photos of my personal art from the last ten years or so in semi-chronological order.
“Oceans:Humanity’s pissoir” 2011 Steel, plywood, fabric and found objects
A piece i created for “The Geography of Hope” http://www.ptreyesbooks.com/goh a conference and art festival held in downtown Pt Reyes Station, CA
“pissoir”
“pissoir” Detail of top portion.
“AG Bodhisattva” 2010 roofing tar and gilding on board and canvas.
A recent painting of Allen Ginsburg as buddhist saint using a technique I developed of placing a foreground element on a board separate from the canvas backing, creating a 2 1/2D effect.
“Allen Ginsburg HOWL” 2010 digital print on canvas and board.
Another piece I did using the same 2 1/2D technique.
Collection of Lagunitas Beer Taproom.
“Art Test” 2010 A screengrab I took of a CG concept model I designed and built to determine what scale is necessary for a piece of floating art to be generally visible and noticeable in the Petaluma River.
“Art Test” 2010 A photo of the real thing, floating in the river.
“I Saw The Light” 2010 wood, copper, aluminum
My fictional re-creation of the small country church where Hank Williams was saved. I built the whole thing from scratch using dollhouse-scale parts.
“I Saw The Light” Detail
There is an LED light (created by Michael Hollibaugh) in the base of the steeple which shines down on an image of Hank.
“JoJo” 2010 Oil paint, gilding, assorted rickrack, found objects, disposable brushes and digital print on canvas and board
Another one of my 2 1/2D paintings
“This Ain’t No Party, This Ain’t No Disco, This Ain’t No Foolin’ Around...” 2010
House paint, wire, found objects, digital print on board and canvas.
An early 2 1/2D painting.
“Volver, volver” 2010 Wood, steel bearings, old books, porcelain and misc found objects
Made for “Tales From The Boneyard” Day of the Dead group show at Boomerang gallery Petaluma, CA
Collection Emily Serb
“Renegade Liberal/ferocious american” 2009
Digital 2 1/2D portrait of congresswoman Lynn Woolsey.
Collection Hon. Lynn Woolsey
“Postcards from the Apocalypse” 2008 A collaborative piece by Leigh Barbier, Noah Elias, Jiri Jacknowitz, Michael Garlington, Jack Haye, Mike Hollibaugh, Phoebe Washer and Huck Wirtz. Conceived and art directed by Jack Haye
Wood, plywood, old books, papier mache, photographs, LED lighting, charcoal and misc found objects.
This was for a show, also called “Postcards From the Apocalypse” at Boomerang Gallery and Seen Gallery in Petaluma, CA
Postcard for show
“Babel” 2007 Wood, old books, lamp, misc found objects
Collection of Ed and Lulu Powers
“Babel” detail
“Babel” detail
“Soapbox” 2007 Wood, copper, old books, ken, misc found objects
I made this piece for a show called “America’s Landscape” at the art@3g gallery in Ft Bragg, CA.This is a rare example of overt political commentary in my work. I don’t normally like to go there...
Collection of Susan Ginniver
“Soapbox” detail “ War Is Peace Freedom Is Slavery Ignorance Is Strength”
“Soapbox” detail
“Gorby” circa 2000/2001 Wood, electrical wire, sheet ceiling tin and other found objects.
This is a very old piece that I made for a solo show of carved heads at LiveART gallery in Petaluma, CA
“Gandhi” circa 2001/2001 Wood, wire, nails, electrical wire, asst found objects
Another piece for the head show at LiveART. Sorry about the focus (or lack of it)
Collection of Ed and Lulu Powers
“Gandhi” detail
“Venus” circa 2000/2001 Wood, upholstery tacks, misc found objects
Another head show piece
Collection of Ed and Lulu Powers
“David” circa 1998 Wood, steel, rusty nails, misc found objects
Another old piece
Collection of Ed and Lulu Powers
“David” detail