Portfolios > Heroes and Villains 2007-2008

Batman, Robin, Joker, Harlequin
Acrylic on Panel
63" x 94"
2008
Too Good, Too Evil
Acrylic on Panel
79.5" X 94"
2008
Hero/Villain (Diptych)
Acrylic on Panel
47" x 94"
2008
Searching for Resolution
Acrylic on Panel
48" x 96"
2008
Even Heroes Have Flaws
Acrylic on Panel
48" x 45"
2008
Some Heroes Step Forward
Acrylic on Panel
68" x 72"
2008
A Hero's Mo(u)rning
Acrylic on Birch Panel
35" x 60"
2008
Constant Vigilance
Acrylic on Birch Panel
76" x 72"
2008
Our Heroes Progress Through Enemy Territory
Acrylic on Birch Panel
52" x 48"
2007
Line Up
Acrylic on Birch Panel
96" x 48"
2007
As Our Hero Descends...
Acrylic and Paint Pen on Mylar.
11" x 8.5"
2008
Watchers Track Our Heroes Progress
Acrylic on Birch Panel
2007
Our Heroes find Opposition
Acrylic on Birch Panel
48" x 48"
2007
A Heroes Topography
Acrylic on Birch Panel
48" x 96"
2007
Our Three Heroes Realize Their Insignificance
Acrylic on Birch Panel
48" x 48"
2007
Our Heroes Embrace(Surround) the Enemy
Acrylic on Birch Panel
48" x 48"
2007
Our Heroes Race Towards the Enemy
Acrylic on Birch Panel
48" x 96"
2007
The Enemy is Tall, But Our Hero Remains Steadfast
Acrylic on Birch Panel
36" x 48"
2007
Surrounded by Villainous Intent
Acrylic on Birch Panel
36" x 20"
2007
The Many Disguises of the Enemy
Acrylic on Canvas
24" x 18"
2007
Profile of Two Watchers
Acrylic on Panel
36" x 20"
2007
$1200
Plunging Ahead
Acrylic on Birch Panel
12" x 12"
2008
Night Patrol
Acrylic on Birch Panel
12" x 12"
2008

I view my paintings as a constant form of study, and I often create restrictions in one area to focus the study on another. In this series of work I work within the restrictions of birch plywood, allowing the wood grain to provide the lines and shapes of the composition. I try not to alter the pattern of the grain, but instead use color to activate and alter the perceived composition of the wood grain, by using harmonies and contrasts to minimize and accentuate particular areas. This has helped to keep the focus on color and color relationships. It has also made me more aware of the diversity of line and shape that can be found in nature, which is something I can bring into future paintings of invented compositions.

To keep the colors from becoming too predictable I have started using 1980’s Superman comic book covers as the source of my palettes. I chose the 80’s, the time of my teenage years and Military Service, because Good and Evil were still being described to us in Black and White. The Cold War was still in progress, and we had a clearly defined enemy. Comics were drawn and written in those terms as well, and the colors were saturated and vibrant. As I develop these ideas further, I plan to delve into the comics of the 1990’s and 2000’s for sources of color palettes. At that time in comics, Good and Evil becomes more nebulous, often existing in a gray area in between, and the colors become more deep and neutral.

I am also influenced by the overall composition of the comic book page, and have recently started to build my structures with multiple sheets of plywood in varying shapes and sizes, changing the direction of the grain from panel to panel. I am intrigued by how comic artists use the size and shape of each panel to depict time and space, to speed through time, or linger on a moment, and I think such a device could be interesting to use in non-objective painting.