I find a florescent yellow condom in our yard;
We convince ourselves a squirrel left it.
The dirty syringe is harder to disregard,
A violation of both plant and spirit.
This is not a brave new world,
Nor a thoughtful one.
Crosses still burn despite the dogwood’s blush
While guns hatch in bedside drawers more often than books.
And yet there is always that turquoise curl of wave,
The reverent hush right before a storm,
New fawns flaunting spots with pleasing normalcy.
We forget the insane, the criminal,
The mutations and strange blots of tumors;
We turn on and off, a faucet with reversible valves.
We must believe nature forgets in the same way.
Somber and very textured, this grouping portrays both real and imaginary botanical growth sprouting during that impatient seasonal interlude between winter and spring I call the “fifth season”. Seeds, cones and strange plants fill the canvas with dynamic shapes and balance via collage, random thoughts, poetry and limited colors. Sticking to neutral colors such as black, burnt umber, gray, white, sienna or Payne’s gray unifies the collection. The style merges abstract with figurative, a loose blend of techniques that signify movement…
For the past seven years I've been painting imaginary plants or botanical parts of plants such as leaves, seeds, cones or vines. They represent a "fifth season" to me, that time of year between winter and spring when mankind craves warmth, new growth and change. The colors are always neutral, dull-browns, whites, grays, sienna, ochre - before chlorophyll and sun transforms the countryside to green.
Painted on linen canvas with acrylic mediums, fabric, handmade paper or other found items. I often use text composed of poetry or free thought in addition to the collaged surface.
