I am fond of telling people “I paint what I want to paint”.  This is a true statement, I DO paint what I want to paint.  I believe I have developed a personal artistic philosophy, history and an understanding of paint and paint process to do this.   It is also a declaration of my freedom. However, I’m happy to do a bit more for you, dear viewer, of my exhibition.

During the past ten years my working process has changed significantly.  I have begun to create distinctive and at times unrelated bodies of work.  Part of this is an overall statement I want to make.  That statement can be distilled down to the idea that painters in this post-Post Modern time period have the unique ability and freedom to move around. I don’t think we are encumbered by style, technique or concept.  I, therefore, constantly shift my gaze and my process to fit my desire and need.  Think of the Jazz musician who also does Rap, or the author of varied genres of books.    

The work in this exhibition is work from two different series of works called Oddly Shaped Paintings and Magical Landscapes.  

The Oddly Shaped paintings are related to folk art, my Father’s birdhouses and the history of shaped paintings and the landscape.  

The Magical Landscapes are related to Magical Realism, the tradition of landscape painting in the United States and my observations of the cycles of nature.  

I think both of these bodies of work deal with the metaphor of the edge.  The edge of things is interesting.  It is a transition from one place to another.  Or perhaps a transformation from ice to water.  It might be the representation of the shoreline or water or the night sky.  I am constantly obsessed by that place in between things, that’s where the interesting stuff happens.  

Now I will quote Annie Dillard….

Quote, “Go up into the gaps. If you can find them; they shift and vanish too. Stalk the gaps. Squeak into a gap in the soil, turn, and unlock-more than a maple- a universe. This is how you spend this afternoon, and tomorrow morning, and tomorrow afternoon. Spend the afternoon. You can’t take it with you.” 
― Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Many thanks to Chris Allen for taking the very brave leap into the unknown to start the Goodness Gallery. I am very honored to be the first artist to exhibit here.  Thanks to Zoe and Olivia for assisting me in unloading and for their work in the gallery. I would also like to thank BJ Shigaki and all the other terrific volunteers and staff helping Chris with this new adventure.  Here is to a long run and a prosperous journey!  Go Goodness!!