As an artist that looks to the marine world for inspiration, you may find the following hard to believe. In my reckless youth as a submarine antagonist, I have been stabbed by a ray, bit by a shark, a moray eel, and an alligator. That’s not even counting numerous crab pinches and lobster “pricks”. They don’t call them spiny lobster for nothing. Now I’m sorry if I’m too late to stop you from thinking or even muttering “bull excrement” after reading this. Let me explain, the shark and the alligator were babies, no harm done other than my surprise. The moray bite, not so much, that little encounter cost me two weeks of lobster season. It seems that bleeding wounds and saltwater reefs don’t mix well. Besides I would rather eat seafood than be seafood. In all the instances mentioned above I was the interloper, all of the wildlife were just defending themselves. Always intriguing and often awe inspiring, I love the sea.
Nature, for me, is a constant source of wonder and amazement. There is such a vast selection of subject matter to “draw” from, and I’m not alone. All through history cultures have used that rich source to explore their own need to express. Whether it’s a painting on the wall of a cave or scrawled into the rock, carved out of bone, or fashioned out of clay, the need to share is universal, bringing us closer together. That’s why another favorite place of inspiration are the cultures of the past, and their “take” on the natural world. A bushman in the Outback, a Native American in the old west, a carver on a remote island in the Pacific Rim, or a craftsman in the Nile delta all share a common bond, even if separated by thousands of miles and years. Self expression has taken on many forms over the years and the mediums used to express them have evolved as well. I prefer to put a new spin on an old idea, tweak it a bit in hopes of coming up with something fresh.
Art is supposed to evoke emotion in the viewer. I know creating it is emotional for me. Since I prefer to stay on the positive side of the artistic dial, my work tends to reflect that. Perhaps it’s a bit self-serving, but hey, I’m an artist. The arc of emotions can be pretty wide. Just so you know, I’m hoping for anything from a warm smile to a heartfelt belly laugh. I like nothing better than to see the expression on people’s faces when they see my work. Hopefully a connection is made, and we can share something positive.
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