Statement:

The late Roy Lichtenstein once described my work as both “strong and energetic”. While being a great compliment, it has also become a source of inspiration and a reminder of two of the most important goals that I strive for as an artist. When there is strength, there is consistency and success from a formalistic point of view. The desired energy is much harder to describe, I think. In my own work, there must be a certain degree of spontaneity. But it is also most likely to be present when a work is both relative and significant. In this sense, the energy itself can become a major part of the strength. Perhaps there are times when strength and energy together can be as simple as something worth saying – said extremely well.

As I have kept this in mind, one of my most important concerns has been to develop a style that is, on the one hand unique, but that also provides me with the flexibility that I need in both my painting and sculpture. The basis for this is a sort of visual vocabulary that has evolved over many years. One of the most wonderful aspects of this is that it is open to constant revision depending on the requirements of a particular project. The visual references in this system can include everything from prehistoric cave paintings to the later works of Henri Matisse where paper cut-outs would express “form filtered to its essentials”. Another important influence would be the art deco architecture of South Florida where I once had a studio.

So this vocabulary – or collection of visual forms – becomes the foundation for the composition. There are times when they are simply formalistic elements – line, color, form and so on. In this case, they are their own subject. Other times, the elements can hold specific references to the natural forms of nature. This offers me tremendous variety. Often, both kinds of forms will be a part of a single composition.

While the studio progress has been significant in terms of painting and sculpture, my main focus is currently on the paper cut-outs. One of the reasons for this has to do with the smaller scale. There is an economy in terms of materials and space, of course. But also, it becomes possible to work on a number of compositions at the same time. I often find it desirable to work on a theme and variations – in fact, sometimes more than one theme and variations. And so this can provide an important advantage. Although the cut-out can become a maquette to a much larger painting – it is also a powerful visual form by itself.