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Bones as landscape

Natural substances, both great and small, reflect similarities that are noticeable upon reflection. The other night as I was studying the texture of the bone in front of me, I pondered upon how the cragginess of the bone was reminiscent of a rocky mountain in a landscape. How the mountain hid a molten center of power and how the bone encases a storehouse of life. The advantages of the bones come in their mobility and the manner in which they relate to each other. They are not static or mounted to the ground.

I have always been drawn to natural, organic objects and choose to portray them with oil on textured surfaces. Often, I present my subject in "dynamic still life" with a shift of time through movement or growth-decay. I am originally from the rust-belt city of Rockford, Illinois. I left the manufacturing town to study fine art at Asbury College and find inspiration among the rolling hills and forests of rural Kentucky. Although consistently representational, I strive to create subtlety layered visual and philosophical metaphors. In 2005, I returned to the country's heartland where I am active in the local art community of Indianapolis, Indiana. Next to oil painting, my greatest passion is helping others appreciate art by teaching private classes.