Combined watercolor drawings with bold lettering to make a collage
This painting depicts my two daughters walking through the woods. I like to think of it as a metaphore
for everyday living. A Pileated Woodpecker sits high in a tree and watches as the girls, Madeline and
Marge (dubbed Marge by my crazy Crocatian father 29 years ago) desend into the forest. I am not super-
stitious, religious or anything else, I am driven by common sense and trust in reality. I love animals of
all sorts and view them as friends. Anyway a friendly Pleated Woodpecker sits in the tree and carefully watches as the girls move into the deeper part of the woods. Kinda like what we do every day. Wish we could all do this with calm and dignity.
It is a bright sunny and terribly windy day in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Sunlight sparkles on rich green lawn areas as it filters through lush conifer and deciduous trees. City buildings are visible along winding tree lined paths that lead to secluded wooded spaces much like in a woodland or forest preserve.
In this painting I utilize three main elements, the vigilant figure, the violent wind and powerful late afternoon sunlight. I tried to unify them and capture the brilliance of all three in a moment in time. My hope is that the viewer is able to enjoy the work in a similar way.
I am as always fascinated by any living critter especially Chicago wild and ferrel life. These are creatures that must endure the rigors of city life and the sometimes thoughtless nature of their human neighbors.
Down in the loop a large group of pigeons has made what appears to be a semi permanent home in the rafters of the L Train. In this painting I observe a Rock Dove on the sidewalk in focused pursuit of a mate. He is incredibly persistent despite the repeated interruptions of human foot traffic. I find transformative energy and beauty in the simplest of subjects and invite the viewer to do the same.
The contented laughter of a human voice breaks the rhythmic sound of waves gently lapping the sandy shore. There is nothing like a day at the beach. Here you can play, search for treasures or do just about anything while the sun heals and beckons you to move in slower motion.
I listen to the sounds of joy and contentment and watch the pristine white sand meet the beautiful turquoise water. I am not sure which appeals to me the most, the sights or sounds at the beach. No, it’s not one or the other. It’s everything all wrapped together in a fabulous beach day experience!
