Paintings Spring 2008

This past winter and spring, I focused on still-life paintings of roses and lucky bamboo, and transcribing the work of Antonio Pollaiuolo, a fifteenth century Florentine painter. Paradoxically, by narrowing my subject matter, I had more freedom to explore color, space and composition in my paintings. I often painted my still-life set ups using the palettes and color structures of great artists such as Henri Matisse, Pierre Bonnard, Wassily Kandinsky, and the artist(s) who painted the haunting Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii. In a similar vein, I used Pollaiuolo's engraving Battle of the Nude Men (1465) as a structure upon which I experimented with color, such as that of Matisse's Dance (1909) and Joie de Vivre (1906).

In addition to the still-life and transcription paintings, I made a small series of watercolors from my home in San Francisco. I hope to continue painting with watercolors, a wonderful medium for travelers!



San Francisco Watercolors December 2007


Ian by the Fireplace
10" x 10" watercolor on paper
December 2007


Joel by the Fireplace
10" x 10" watercolor on paper
December 2007


San Francisco Sunset
5" x 12" watercolor on paper
December 2007



Rose Series
February-April 2008
A bouquet of birthday roses sent from my father inspired this series.


Self Portrait with Roses
12" x 9" oil on canvas
February 2008


Roses in the Garden
Inspired by Pierre Bonnard's Young Women in the Garden (1921-23, 1941-46)
12" x 9" oil on canvas
February 2008


Pompeiian Roses
Inspired by Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii (c.50-60 B.C.E.)
9" x 12" oil on canvas
February 2008


Roses Europa
Inspired by Pierre Bonnard's The Abduction of Europa (1919)
12" x 12" oil paint on canvas
February 2008


Palm Roses
Inspired by Pierre Bonnard's The Palm (1926)
9" x 12" oil on canvas
February 2008


Drunken Roses
8" x 8" oil on canvas
March 2008


Roses
12" x 9" oil on canvas
March 2008


Bamboo Series March-May 2008
The idea to paint lucky bamboo against a patterned background came from a dream I had in February or March. In the dream, I was painting the space between the lucky bamboo and the patterned cloth on the wall behind it. With the help of my savvy friend Carol Silverman, I procured some lucky bamboo and began to paint it, alongside the dried roses, against a patterned back-drop.


Baby Bamboo
5" x 5" oil on canvas
March 2008


Bamboo and Roses 1
10" x 8" oil on canvas
March 2008


Bamboo and Roses 2
24" x 24" oil on canvas
March 2008


Bamboo and Roses 3
40" x 30" oil on canvas
April 2008


Bamboo and Roses 4
48" x 48" oil on canvas
April 2008


Bamboo and Roses 5
40" x 48" oil on canvas
April-May 2008


Pollaiuolo Series February-May 2008
Attempts to combine Antonio Pollaiuolo's Battle of Naked Men (1465)
with Henri Matisse's Le Joie de Vivre (1906)

Pollaiuolo 1
9" x 12" oil on canvas
February 2008

Pollaiuolo 2
9" x 12" oil on board
February 2008

Pollaiuolo 3
9" x 12" oil on canvas
March 2008

Pollaiuolo 5
Inspired by Willem De Kooning's Excavation (1950)
10" x 14" oil paint on canvas
March 2008


Pollaiuolo 6
30" x 40" oil and pastel on canvas
April 2008

Pollaiuolo 7
30" x 40" oil on canvas
April 2008

Other Works (just for fun)

Stanley 1
10" x 14" oil on canvas
April 2008


Stanley 2
10" x 8" oil on canvas
April 2008


Collage 1
30" x 40" paper, acrylic, polymer medium
April 2008


Collage 2
40" x 30" paper, acrylic, polymer medium
April 2008