A Journey of Souls (diptych) Painting

I work in acrylic and copper; one fluid and seemingly uncontrollable; the other rigid yet malleable. Though disparate in texture and fluidity, their marriage on the canvas is complementary and forms the core of what I do. My art invites and challenges the viewer to explore their personal response to it. Shape, color, texture and composition are tools meant to guide conversation. In this way, the artworks are not just static objects, but take on meaning given to them by the observer. In a chaotic world of “us or them” that begs for attention at every turn, my art only asks that the viewer be present; to take a moment to quiet themselves so that they may have the opportunity to listen. What they hear in these fleeting moments of stillness is how they breathe life into my artwork. The conversations and relationships that are created grow and change over time with the life experiences of the viewer. My art is an invitation to enter into a lasting collaborative relationship between art, artist, and art lover. The power of raw human emotion is what attracts me to create abstract art. These emotions are shared across the human family regardless of race, creed, color, or socio-economic status. Artists such as Rothko, Kandinsky, and Pollock continue to influence my aesthetic journey as do the philosophical works of Hegel, Kant and Hume. My years as a contemplative monk here in the US and in Austria have indelibly shaped the way I perceive the world. The mental and spiritual disciplines it taught me provide me with creative opportunity and the desire to share a part of myself with my human family. I was born and raised in Key Largo, FL. Growing up on a coral reef exposed me to texture and color from a very early age. College studies were made in central Minnesota at St. John's University where I completed my Bachelor's in Psychology and then went on to graduate studies in Liturgical Theology. It was in grad school that I met a community of Cistercian monks; later making my profession to that monastery. The order's motto is "ora et labora" or prayer and work. We were strict contemplatives praying 13 times a day, in Latin with chant, from the early hours of the morning to late into the evening. I also had the change to live and study in Austria during this time which exposed me to many different styles of art. I have now been married for over 20 years and live in Palm Springs, California in the beautiful Coachella Valley.