about the artist
The Artist
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My painting is an immersion into a place with a story, a history and a synchronistic play of influence from animals, weather, spirits, dreams, geography, and people. When I paint en plein air, oil on canvas, I subject myself to the whims of nature so that I, in effect, get painted. There is a great mystery involved, along with tricks of time - like walking into a deja' vu where one gets the sense of remembering the future.
Often I paint en plein air, in "the thick of it", to let the land and spirits inform me. I must create or play music to break the spell of fear and seriousness. My paintings are playful, about hope and a bright future - to make you smile. The act of painting is like a sandbox inviting you to bring a scoop and pail. |
artist's statement
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It has always been the case for me to look at my own individuation or soul, as the Great Work of my life. The venerable poet Stanley Kunitz pondered what is the task of an artist. He felt that it is to “make our life,“ and the poetry or art one creates come from the fullness of a life lived well. In this regard, I would have to say that when I began studying with the great teacher Martin Prechtel (who himself, among other things, is a painter), I stepped into a much larger story than that which is purely personal, and that great story is what I now serve. It is the story of living beautifully and nobly while feeding the Holy in Nature with songs and things made with my hands that I can pay the ‘debt of my life’ back with and begin the work of making culture that understands how to raise children into Initiated Adults that know what Intact Indigenous people know of such a way to be in life.
For me, art cannot be decoration or a commodity, or even academic, but rather an expression of this code of indebtedness to what gives us life. The smaller stories linking back to the larger story is what I like to paint. To this end, I court my Muse to help me understand what the beauty of art is for and where to go next with it. |
Bread Baking Man
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artist's shows
Studio 2017
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1995 - Group show in Moab Museum, Moab, Utah
1997 - One man show - Moab Post Office, Moab, Utah 2001 - One man show - Dragonfly Café - Salt Lake City, Utah 2002 - One man show - Hallside Gallery - University of Utah 2004 - Member of the Leftbank Gallery - Salt Lake City, Utah 2008 - One man show - Travis Tanner Gallery - Salt Lake City, Utah 2008 - Juried Statewide Competition - Bountiful Davis Art Center, Utah 2008 - One man show - Oasis Café – Salt Lake City, Utah 2008 - One man show - Finn’s Café - Salt Lake City, Utah 2008 - Juried Competition - Central Utah Art Center - Ephraim, Utah 2008 - Rio Gallery Untitled Show - Salt Lake City, Utah 2005 - Plein Air painting contest in Helper and Spring City, Utah 2006 - Art festival booth and contests in Escalante and Helper, Utah 2007 - Plein Air Painting contests in Helper, Escalante and Spring City, Utah 2009 - One man show - Charlie Hafen Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah Paintings represented by Williams Fine Art in Salt Lake City, Utah Accepted in juried statewide competition - Bountiful Art Center, Utah 2010 - One man show at the Travis Tanner Gallery in Salt Lake City, Utah 2011 - One man show at the Travis Tanner frame gallery in Salt Lake City, Utah 2013-2014 - One man show on the Swift Level Cattle Ranch in West Virginia 2014 to present - My paintings are viewed and sold from my home in Southern Utah |
