My Art Statement...

Here is my Art Statement... you gotta have one..

My Art is  a statement to the viewer that says, " look at this image and see the value and beauty of what it represents". Hopefully it's a method to convince others to really look at what's around them.

Originally my art was all done on scrap pieces of lumber, pieces that were being thrown out, considered trash. I saw that these pieces still had use and I started painting images of the animals I had on my farm. At the time I was focused on dairy cows and I was frustrated by the general mistreatment of these animals by big dairy... I felt the scrap wood and the image of these gentle useful animals were a powerful pairing. Where would we be with out trees and cows?

Today I paint all sorts of  things, but in the beginning it was about the dairy cows..

When I get ready to paint, I first spend time just having the board or wood around while I do other things.. At first I may not see anything in the board... but then it will be clear. In the knots and the grain.. a little like seeing constellations in the starry sky. Then I draw the image on the board, wood burn and sand it. Next I like to paint with water color. Some wood is just free painted...

Lately I've been interested in putting art onto furnishings.. art is all around us everywhere..you just have to see it.