The following presents a 15 year history of my abstract painting in images and text.
1979
Interior #3, oil on canvas, 36 x 48 inches
Completed shortly after I saw a Rothko retrospective in Minneapolis, this painting was part of my application portfolio to graduate shool.
1980
Untitled, oil on canvas, 36 x 42 in
This piece dates from my frst year of graduate school; a difficult period when I was trying to transition comletely to abstract painting.
1981
Temporary Water, oil on canvas, 48 x 57 in
The second year I finally made the transition with the help of visiting artist, Julius Tobias.
1982
I Scream, oil on linen, 48 x 57 in
1982
Thorny Way, oil on linen,48 x 57 in
‘I Scream’ was one of the paintings from my graduate thesis show. Later that year year I transformed it into ‘Thorny Way’. I did the same thing with every painting in that show; throwing away the delicate surfaces and muted color.
1983
Who Will Save the Pissboys?, oil on canvas, 28 x 25 in
1984
The Polyester Horror, oil on linen, 48 x 57 in
At this point I entered what I characterize as my ‘pop abstraction’ period where the subject matter was violence and humor.
1985
Barabajagel, oil on linen, 36 x 42 in
1986
A Self-Portrait, oil on linen, 48 x 60 in
In autumn 1985 I moved to New York and began to transition out of pop abstraction while retaining the forms.
1987
Soozievolk, oil on masonite cutout pieces, 48 x 60 in
At this point I started a series of paintings that utilized white wall space through cutout painted shapes on masonite.
1987
Turkson, acrylic and graphite on paper, 22 x 30 in
1988
Borderline, mixed media on paper, 22 x 30 in
This piece (and 4 others) were an iimportant turning point and came to define my esthetic for the next 6 years.
1989
Amagansette, oil on canvas, 11 x 15 in
1990
Seagulls, mixed media collage on paper, 17 x 24 in
1991
Fauveland, oil on canvas, 22 x 36 in
This collage is one of my personal favoiites. I used woodcut methods, newspaper collage and paint to create it.
1992
1992 Eucalyptus, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in
In 1992 I moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. and had a studio in Greenpoint.
1993
Edwin, oil on canvas, 48 x 57 in
This painting was influenced by a brilliant series of paintings by Cy Twombly from 1951 and 1953.
1994
Storyville, editioned woodcut print, 5.5 x 7.5 in
This woodcut was 1 in a series of 4 small editioned prints. At this point I was beginning to move toward graffitti influenced imagery.
1994
Night & the City, oil on canvas, 42 x 36 in
1994
Sunnyside, oil on canvas, 42 x 36 in
These paintings were the last I did in New York and mark a transition into my current work. In 1995 I moved to New Jersey and dropped out of the art world for 4 years until I began Abstract Art Online in 1999. I began painting again in 2002
