Dec 19, 2010
It's been a busy and very successful few months. Open studios went incredibly well with new friends made and much work sold. I have some new relationships with galleries and some new shows coming soon. I'll have some posts about that shortly along with a plethora of new images. In the mean time you'll have to settle for some meat...
Heavy Chop, 9" x 9"
It is a little less conventional than a flower or pepper as a subject, but I find it much more interesting. And apparently so do the people buying my work. Some see them as simply old school paintings similar to something painted centuries ago. Some see them as a cheeky works. As to myself, I recently added the following to my "Artist's Statement":
The question most asked is, "Why meat?" The glib answer I usually give is "you can only paint so many pears." The longer answer is that a piece of meat can be stunning and intriguing. We have a much more complicated reaction to a portion of lamb than we do to that pear. We are ourselves, after all, meat. We've built cultures around the animal as part of the family meal. But no matter that history, no matter how intricate the shapes and colors of the bone, muscle, fat and gristle, we are keenly aware that is part of a once living thing. It's beautiful, desirable, and it's unclean.
Rib chop, 7" x 9"
You might notice a change in some of these works. I'm working more loosely, a little more confidently and less focused on 'realism'. The newest that shows this best is the first in this post. While it doesn't have the nuance of color found in some of the others, there's a power in it. This kind of vigor is how I would make every painting if I could.
Arrowhead, 8" x 8"
Glowing Chop, 6" x 5"
You’ve had such an intense year—really spent on the griddle! Glad to read it’s turning out much better than it seemed for a while. Your new way of working eliminates the subtle, translucent passages present in the meat in favor of the brilliance and chunky shapes in it and the background. Your paintings make me excited, the way Wayne Thibaud’s did when I first saw them. Glad you’re reaching the galleries and finding a new audience. You should be represented in corporate and museum collections, if you aren’t already.
Glad to hear that everything is going well for you. Your work is awesome and you deserve the exposure. Keep up the good work and the blogs flowing…thanks!
To the normal eye, these painting seem very plain. However, I find these very unique and I don’t think I’ve seen too many paintings featuring products from the produce department. Congrats on your continued success and keep doing what you do.
Carolyn,
*thank you*
I hope you understand what your words of support have meant these past few years.
I like the simplicity of these pieces. My younger brother has been a butcher for years and when I showed him these he was a huge fan!
Your pictures reminds me about childhood, well… not your meal pictures, the others.
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