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My paintings are inspired by pop culture iconography and cartoon imagery as well as the work of masters of varied genres and periods such as Frank Frazetta, Chuck Close, Joel-Peter Witkin, Sebastian Krueger, Richard Estes, Grant Wood, Edward Hopper, Gustav Klimt, Albrecht Duerer and Hieronymus Bosch. I work primarily in oils and acrylics on canvas or wood, but occasionally use resin on varied surfaces to add more depth to the painting. My creative process always begins with a pencil sketch. However, I try to leave plenty of room for spontaneity when it comes to the painted execution. I rarely have a complete image in mind when painting, but rather set loose boundaries for the overall look of the artwork. |
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My paintings are inspired by pop culture iconography and cartoon imagery as well as the work of masters of varied genres and periods such as Frank Frazetta, Chuck Close, Joel-Peter Witkin, Sebastian Krueger, Richard Estes, Grant Wood, Edward Hopper, Gustav Klimt, Albrecht Duerer and Hieronymus Bosch.
I work primarily in oils and acrylics on canvas or wood, but occasionally use resin on varied surfaces to add more depth to the painting.
My creative process always begins with a pencil sketch. However, I try to leave plenty of room for spontaneity when it comes to the painted execution. I rarely have a complete image in mind when painting, but rather set loose boundaries for the overall look of the artwork. This process keeps it exciting for me and allows me to explore the work as I go. The painting guides me as much as I try to guide it. As I paint, I am the viewer and, oftentimes, completely unexpected scenarios unfold before my eyes.
Title, story, meaning and emotional evocation all make up the explanatory structure born out of the creative process. In my case however, the structure of my creativity rarely precedes the birth of the image.
By juxtaposing cartoon images with realism, I try frequently to address the opposing aspects of social and political issues: In today’s Westernized world, the line between reality and fiction is increasingly blurred. Escapism is the new religion of a society destined to overdose on mind-numbing consumption; we stay indoors to view “reality programming.” Maxed-out credit cards temporarily fulfill the American dream that is not quite within our reach. Movie star idolatry rules the dogma of mediocrity and the government structure dictates the politics of greed and hegemony as basic characteristics of survival of the fittest.
My art leaves little room for interpretation. What you see is what you get. Some artists aim to appeal to the “higher’ part of our nature, i.e. the head. My work aims for the gut. In Freudian terms, it is creativity of the “id” as opposed to the “superego.” It is work that takes human need and desire not as something to transcend but as something to fully indulge in.
