2010 promises to be a good year, I am continuing with a series of Cityscapes that I am using to explore the nature of the human-built environment, and contrast it to the non-human. I prefer to use the phrase non-human environment for people are of nature, just as any other animal is. Our cities are as natural, in many ways, as are beaver dams and swamps. We build them for our purposes without much thought for other species, much the way the beaver does. So there is no human form of nature separate from the rest of nature. However, we do things in a big way, using materials that are greatly transformed and we tend to think of ourselves as not being of nature. But we are!

On a less philosophical note, I will be in several shows this year, one with Heather Howard in February, the St. Albert Painter's Guild shows in April and October, and the Whyte Avenue Art Walk in July. Look for my booth on Whyte Ave. and 105 St. in front of the "Esso Lot".

Borning

18x24x2. Oil on canvas.

This is an experimental piece when I decided to use oils for abstract pieces, I worked up this to re-aquaint myself with oil paint.

Cityscape #3

36x18x3, acrylic on canvas.$400

This work is in a format that I have used for my imaginary landscapes and other abstract and symbolic works. It uses a rather heavy application of paint for buildings, that might, be along a waterfront, with perhaps mountains, or other buildings, in the background.

Cityscape #4

30x30x2, acrylic on canvas.$450

You notice that this piece is numbered 4, I have presented them in the order that I finished them, but when it came to naming I got the order messed up. Oh well! A hundred years from now no one will know the difference. This piece was NOT inspired by Vancouver, it is simply a rather somber piece of cityscape, as cities often are. I had to work like heck to pull this one together, the linear "streets" just didn't cooperate until I attacked them with a reddish-brown over the silver that I had first applied. Go figure! Silver streets?

Cityscape #5

36x36x2, Acrylic on canvas. $600

This is part of my continuing series on the city and it's relationship with the surrounding land. My inspiration for this piece and the next several was flying into Vancouver one evening. We must have come past the airport towards False Creek with it's monster condo-towers, for in the evening the translucent white/blue/green towers rose by and masked the mountains of North Vancouver. It was stunning! This particular piece is more about the spread of cities into valleys, encroaching on wildlands.

Cityscape #6

50x30, acrylic. $620

The latest in my continuing series of cityscapes in which I explore the nature of a big city bordering on natural areas. I'm using a high vantage point, there is no hint of ground close to the viewer. I wanted to build an inner glow from the buildings against a dark sky and forest as night falls. This painting is a lot bigger than it appears, it's more than 4 feet across, a good size for a big wall.

Precambrian

36x18x3, acrylic and paper on canvas In the collection of the artist's family.

I have no idea what this is a painting of, however, it feels very Precambrian to me. The depths of a shallow sea, night stars, waving fronds of primitive kelp. Or, something totally different, that's the beauty of abstract work. Don't let my take on the painting influence you. What do you see?

Red 1

24x24x1, Oil. SOLD

A new series start! I decided to go back to my roots, as shallow as they are, and try abstract painting in oils (I have a lot of oil paint and I thought to use it up). This is my first in a series that I expect to be 12 long. Not only am I using oils, I am also using only one colour with black and white. Just for a challenge.

Yellow 1

24x24x1, Oil. Gifted to a good friend

Continuing my new series I moved to another primary colour, yellow. I tried to avoid making egg yolk-yellow by not combining the white with the yellow, rather letting them sit on top or beside each other as pure colours.

Blue 1

24x24x1, Oil. Gifted to a good friend

In keeping with the first two of the series I painted this one in the last primary colour, blue. I like the fractured landscape feel with what might be rain coming down. Very cool.

Green 1

30x30, Oil. $380

I think I'm getting back to a groove here, more organic and put together. As always I'm not sure what it is, there are suggestions in the horizontal and vertical strokes, but I'm open to suggestions.

Orange 1

30x30, Oil. Gifted to a good friend

The major shift here was to use a toned canvas using a grayed orange and a light brush. I had some horizontal lines that was really starting to look like a landscape so I promptly brushed over them with a light, smudgy black. Then added the diagonal and circular movements for counter balance.

Gold 1

30x30, Oil. $380

The latest in the series using gold, black and white. After painting most of it I started to rotate it 90 degrees to see how it looked. I liked this orientation best, although I didn't paint it this way.