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An artist is part of a culture. My culture derives from the classic traditions of western civilization: the Greek Humanist heritage and the Judeo-Christian ethic. Awareness of this history is reflected in my painting. I am also a member of a mass society, informed by a media given to simplified sound bites. I combat this oversimplification with a more nuanced view.
In my art, in painting what I feel compelled to paint, I am influenced by various contemporary in intellectual disciplines: natural science, psychology, philosophy: and by the art and thought of the past. I picture everything, from insects and flowers to life size portraits, to human rights violations. My portraits and still life are about observation, memory and loss. The political work is an outgrowth of my activities and a response to world events. Subject matter influences the medium I use. Egg tempera references the content in Italian Christian art, connecting human violations of the present to that of the past. Oil, with its greater plasticity and ability to portray things as they are, is more appropriate for my portraits and still-lifes. I consider myself a realist,but the word "realism" has a shifting definition, given by history and usage. My realism incorporates the classical and the ideal, the scientifically observed, and the expressive.
Portraits: My paintings are intimate. At times these people are seen in their public persona, distanced and iconic. At times they are unique selves. In painting portraits I am aware of the various forms a work can take. The portrait itself is perhaps descended from antique tomb effigies. Durer spoke of portraiture’s use as commemorative in its ability to preserve the likeness of individuals after their deaths, an expression of faith in the magical victory of art over time. The full length view was once reserved for royalty; the profile, dignified and hieratic, is reminiscent of classical antiquity. The head and shoulder, used from the 17th century to the present incorporates artists as diverse as Frans Hals, Chuck Close and Gerhard Richter.
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