I started painting still-lifes of toy dinosaurs initially, because they were the most colorful and interesting looking things that I had in my studio. I struggled trying to force meaning into the paintings. Sometimes I thought they were about the interpretation of scale—super-colossal creatures being crushed into palm sized toys, and into my (mostly) small paintings. Other times they were about the cultural aftermath of extinction—what gets left over, and what gets re-created, however subjectively.
The idea that dinosaurs are a common childhood interest that rarely carries over into adulthood became very important to me. My focus shifted to the “toy” part of “toy dinosaur.” By being cast as characters from my own life, the dinosaurs are serving the traditional purpose of toys, stimulating imagination and play.
On the still life stage, the toys are helping me evaluate, emotionally significant moments from my childhood with careful objectivity, and a sense of humor.
I paint from direct observation. While areas of my paintings are abstracted, they do not stray from reality arbitrarily. I try to make paintings that maintain the integrity of the set-up, but also respond to the demands created by the painting itself. Sometimes certain areas of the painting or set-up inspire abstract shapes or motifs.
I find myself drawn to the surface and three dimensional qualities in a painting. I often paint on Masonite prepared with 4-6 layers of gesso, and a toned ground. I prepare canvas the same way. My starting surface is very smooth and hard so that each paint stroke sits on top of it. I use thick and thin paint, and a variety of oil and alkyd mediums to create diversity in texture and luminosity.
The idea that dinosaurs are a common childhood interest that rarely carries over into adulthood became very important to me. My focus shifted to the “toy” part of “toy dinosaur.” By being cast as characters from my own life, the dinosaurs are serving the traditional purpose of toys, stimulating imagination and play.
On the still life stage, the toys are helping me evaluate, emotionally significant moments from my childhood with careful objectivity, and a sense of humor.
I paint from direct observation. While areas of my paintings are abstracted, they do not stray from reality arbitrarily. I try to make paintings that maintain the integrity of the set-up, but also respond to the demands created by the painting itself. Sometimes certain areas of the painting or set-up inspire abstract shapes or motifs.
I find myself drawn to the surface and three dimensional qualities in a painting. I often paint on Masonite prepared with 4-6 layers of gesso, and a toned ground. I prepare canvas the same way. My starting surface is very smooth and hard so that each paint stroke sits on top of it. I use thick and thin paint, and a variety of oil and alkyd mediums to create diversity in texture and luminosity.
