Ry An “The Drowners” oil on canvas, 24” H x 36” W – $2,225.00

As a person once entrapped in an abusive relationship, I tend to see manipulation and predatory behaviors everywhere. As a vegan, I am further bothered by society’s impetus to prey upon “the weak”: animals, nature, the poorer classes of people… My attempts to cope with a number of terrible experiences led me to begin a series of allegorical oil paintings and recycled media compositions featuring vulnerable characters trying to escape similarly dire circumstances: – a blind horse, – a butterfly with tattered wings, – a cat on fire… The paintings have an implied narrative drawn from “a deep reservoir of assorted traumas”. They tie in with one another so that a story seems to unfold from one to the next. This is a story of consumption and abuse, without any of the blood or bruising, with “fun” & colorful terrors replacing the real world kind.  When interesting ideas appear in these paintings, I explore them in 3-dimensions with discarded media. By shining a strong light on a sculpture, I can better conceptualize how it should fit in a painting: how the light should look, how the shadows should be cast… The paintings and sculptures inform each other in this way.  I’ll also “ground” the fanciful environments in a sense of reality by painting landscapes in plein air whenever possible. There are serene, scenic places & there are dark paths you take when wandering alone. You will see it in paintings & in sculptures.