Having lived in Illinois all my life the local landscape is as much apart of me as the land is to a farmer. The landscapes I sculpt are flat, dark, airy, filled with groves of trees, or posts but mostly the sky and land are the main subject. It is a subject I have consistently included in my work. The ease in which a landscape becomes a simplistic form allows for investigation of material and a gestural approach. Because I can close my eyes and see the region around me I am free to explore different color combinations and compositions. The Home of the Range Series is a recent development. Based compositionally on old photos and post cards of slaughtered bison, this series explores my concern in the harm we do as humans to the landscape, animals and other people.
2023
Acrylic, Gouache and Sand on Yupo
20” x 26”
Unframed.
Layers of transparent washes and paint drying in puddles make up this painting. Sand was added to the work as a textural element as well as serving as a component to react with drying paint.
