Angelica
The Angelica series, like Orlando and Bradamante, is a body of smaller works; paintings, oil sketches, watercolors, drawings, and prints. Smaller works such as these I normally would do either as preliminary studies for larger works or just smaller works made in parallel to the large more ambitions canvases. In this series, I chose to concentrate on smaller works without the final necessity of a larger statement. I wanted to develop the sketch-like qualities and improvisational feeling that one often finds is preparatory sketches. I wanted these expressive qualities to be the final statement.
Because this is really an exploratory series of sketches and ideas, the titles Angelica, Orlando or Bradamante are more of umbrella titles to embrace a rather wide-ranging body of work. They come from the epic poem Orlando Furioso by Ariosto. I chose to draw upon this work for several reasons. I wanted poetic inspiration from an epic romance that would provide a range of dramatic subjects for the figure. These range from struggling figures in combat or some other confrontation to figures drawn to each other by love. The story contains magic, fantasy, and religion. It also was an extremely popular poem during the Renaissance and Baroque periods and provided the subjects of many paintings during these periods. In particular, it provided the subjects for many paintings by Tiepolo and this influence is meant to appear in this series of small works. As a kind of umbrella inspiration, I was free to improvise many topics that I could connect this poem.
Some of these sketches are based on literary reference to the poem, but usually only in the most general way. Some come from no literary subject at all. Even though they may suggest dramatic images of conflict and tragedy, the subject matter remains unclear. These works are meant to express a certain mood, style, and poetic feeling.
General Introduction to the Large Canvases
Beginning 2010 I painted a series 15 large canvases of approximately 200 x 200 cm along with related smaller oil studies, watercolors, drawings and etchings. These large canvases are related by both scale and treatment as well as content and theme. The content is that of monumental figures, usually over life-size and nude, set in dense, highly colored backgrounds containing many still-life elements. The treatment is observational and painterly. The themes are indirectly derived from mythology and literature and usually layered with symbolism and allegory.
My intention was to make contemporary paintings in what used to be referred to as the Grand Manner or historical paintings. Paintings inspired by Titian, Veronese and Rubens. This naturally accounts for the scale of my canvases as well as the color and compositions. Painters closer in time and more contemporary in technique which I value are Delacroix, Manet, and Corinth. These last had an impact on the surface treatment of my paintings. I wanted paintings with the weight of history and tradition behind them.
Each of these paintings has as its theme a mythological or literary origin. I try, however, to use obscure or lest well-known sources when possible and to suppress the references so as not to let the paintings seem to have a narrative. I wish the paintings to communicate aesthetically on a more abstract or intuitive level.
This series of paintings begins with bacchanalia subjects. Inspired by paintings by Titian, Bellini and Rubens among others, it contains all the elements I wished to develop. I wanted to create similar canvases with rich and sensuous content and power. Deep, full color with dense compositions and still-life elements are used to support the dominate nude figures. To this I use a loaded brush with visible and energetic brushstrokes. This approach I tried to maintain throughout the other paintings, while at the same time changing and developing the subjects and themes. The last paintings in this series return to this original theme with the subject of maenads.
For the next four paintings in the series I looked to Celtic mythology and the Grail traditions. The “Hospitality of the Wondrous Head” and “The Uncorrupted Head of Bran” are from these sources. The image and symbol of a sacred Celtic severed head appear in these paintings along with the equally potent images of the head of Orpheus. These heads traditionally represent forces of healing and poetry.
I next returned to Classical mythology in two painting based on Elektra. The sources in this case are the myths, drama and opera. These are followed by the traditional Renaissance subject of The Annunciation but with a classical Orphic interpretation. The symbol of the disembodied head continues in these paintings.
The final three paintings were intended to represent in general images of Maenads in a bacchic trance or bacchanalia as the paintings in the beginning of this series. However, I wanted to introduce a more classic Renaissance structure to the compositions. This caused one painting to develop during the process of painting into the subject of Artemis with attendants. In another the Maenads due to their setting and poses appeared more like Sibyls than Bacchantes.
Much of the ideas and subjects in these paintings develop and change during the process of painting and never follow a definite plan. This is the proper development and life of a painting. There are many deviations and variants in the themes and subject, but they still maintain a unity of spirit, content and expression.