In 1997, alongside of my work with the black and white figure paintings know as “Urban Views”, I created a set of works using geometrical shapes and textures featuring one or more of the following elements: spheres/circles, squares, and cross-hatching. Combining these shapes, textures and intense color selections resulted in the paintings seen here. Though each painting has certain commonalities, they possess different themes.
For Sonoma Cascade, I began with thoughts of my native California, imagining not only the fine vineyards there, but also the surrounding terrain. Broad earthy tones contrast a rustic black vine cradling bulbous fruits within a loose net of cross-hatching. The glowing orbs hang heavy and robust while resisting gravity’s constant pull. A splash of cool blue brings hydration to the scene. The organic nature of this painting appeals to the basic senses. One can almost feel the communion of earth (hunger) and water (thirst) elements as both the frustration and elation of growth plays out before your eyes.
They say you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole, but in Squares and Circles I sought to mesh soft curves with sharp angles. The idea was not necessarily to force harmony 
among the shapes. I preferred to revel in the juxtaposition of the objects, creating a striking social image using vibrant color, textural patterns, and eccentric positioning. The cross-hatching pattern seems to herd the circles into the company of the squares. The wide black strokes on the outside corral all the shapes together. Are the squares outnumbered and at the mercy of the circles or is this a gathering of two blood lines mingling as one? At its core, this painting is alive with neon freshness and dramatic thought.
Finally, Volcano II sprang from a sister painting. The element of cross-hatching is more prominent in its fabric. The color palette is also brighter, reflecting the climate of the subject matter with orange conveying heat or daylight, green and sienna as earth and blue the ever abundant element of water. Small circular entities are seen throughout the painting as well as angular features (plateaus, shifts in the horizon). Interpretations of this painting vary. Some take the literal course (imminent disaster or calamity)while others including myself embrace the abstraction with imaginative fervor.
