a.k.a. - Painting with Dick and Jane

This series concentrates on historical events in American society and personal expectations during the painting process.
Some of the first English words to be read by young Americans predominantly in the 1950’s and 1960’s were the Read with Dick and Jane collection. This American “hallmark” was first written in 1932. It was a post WWI collection that most likely affected our generation’s moral and psychological thinking such as:
• Construction of words by placing letters together • Repetition of  key words • Differentiating between right and wrong - actions that might influence and mold us into our current moral selves by way of conditioning via literature and the new media of  the time, television • First memories of color relating to words • Becoming aware of  personal epics in process no matter how insignificant the event

Process for me necessitated using vehicles (chariots) that transport  human behavioral baggage. The human figure is not present so that a universal yet psychological connection can be made. Line gestures are the build-up of  brain muck during the course of the thinking process. What we keep and what we throw away in terms of memories. What I keep and what I throw away in terms of paint is similar.

My continued attempt to bridge our current republic (America) with the first republic (Greece) and second (Rome) is by asking myself the age-old questions of: who we are, where do we come from and where are we going. These three questions have defined the concentration of my work for the past 20 years. My ultimate challenge is to determine an American Epic through painting.
Often my work reverts to an ancient reference point that has survived into our  contemporary western society.