Mythology of Trees and Female Form

Trees were the first plants to be worshipped by man. In his mind, trees of great lifespan emerged as symbols of strength and eternity. The Tree of Life, the Tree of Knowledge, the Yggdrasill ash Tree (that overshadows the whole universe) and the Bo Tree are the oldest examples of spiritual plants for mankind. In my mind I see a strong connection between man and the everlasting tree that identifies with birth and death, happiness and sorrow, good and evil.

My interest in the female form is the other facet to my personal artwork. While trees personify nature’s grand command, for centuries the female form has represented the epitome of beauty in the art world. I prefer content in my painting as opposed to a lack of external reference. While my work is painterly and representational, it is intended to evoke elusive feelings rather than portray. Thus, emotions become embedded within visual harmony of mythological trees and the female form.
I work on the content and composition closely by completing several sketches either in graphite or colored pencils. I often incorporate my life studies of both people and objects, with photos of landscapes or interiors that have some significance to me. I transfer only my best drawing onto the canvas. Then using traditional methods and materials of the old masters like Rembrandt van Rijn and Jean Vermeer, I glaze many layers of paint to achieve the richness of color and compositional unity. Interested in abstractly painted realism, I often create smooth passages of form mixed with textures of palette knife applications, influenced by my love of the brushwork of John Singer Sargent and Edouard Manet.

Inspired by masterworks, I work on my drawings and paintings with a sense of pleasure and personal realization. As Jackson Pollock said, “Every good painter paints what he is,” I paint my own unsettling, often misinterpreted world. I have taken the colors from the Impressionists, the sensibilities of beauty from the Greco-Roman era, the hidden meaning from Dali and Magritte and added personal sensibilities to my images. Realistic or not, I believe art exists to make a connection or discover a hidden stance that goes beyond the obvious visual impact.