Red Woman with Flowers
I looked over at a Chinese buffet that was positioned in my dining room. It featured small, intricate murals painted on each of its three doors. In a brief glance, my imagination saw a red woman who was not there. She was gracefully holding the flowers that rested in a vase placed atop the buffet, with blossoms cascading gently down the side. I rushed into my studio and grabbed a painting I had just purchased at a nearby resale shop. At the time I was struggling financially so painting over discarded framed art was my solution to having no fresh canvas. If you look very closely at the painting, you can see the underlying brush strokes of the painting beneath mine. This painting is currently on loan, I plan to keep it in my personal collection, always.
Flowers in Green Vase
Living in Chicago for 21 years, with its intense seasons and offerings of rich colorful delights, gave me a passion for jewel tones and hearty brush strokes. It was usually overcast for 8 months of the year and my earliest work feels warm and intense to me. This painting was my first large scale work of art. Measuring 48” x 48” I was enthralled by the challenge of painting large scale. It was the beginning of a floral season in my career. The painting is on hardboard which is not a canvas medium that I usually use.
Twilight
I was terribly injured in 2001. I found solace in prayer and noticing religious icons around me, and sometimes where they did not exist. Another painting over an existing painting on metal with a metal frame.
Sharpie, Myself and Gary Weidner
My longtime and trusted friend Gary Weiner was always readily available on any given night and at nearly any bar in Chicago, willing to draw a skull and crossbones on your body with his handy black marker. Gary Weidner is a renowned and highly respected Chicago artist with a distinctive style. I believe I was around 22 years old when we first met, and from that moment, his unique approach to art profoundly inspired me. His work encouraged me to embrace minimalism and to think boldly by working on a large scale. I deeply admire his exceptional talent and the way his creativity continuously pushes boundaries. You can explore and appreciate his artwork at gruengalleries.com.
GARY WEIDNER