These paintings were initially inspired by a painting by William DeKooning called “Excavation” that I saw frequently while a student and teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. These are, in a sense, an homage to that painting, but obviously have nothing in common with DeKooning’s process or style. Rather, they just began with a similar white-ochre base, with pattern-field composing, and my own approach to the unity, depth and movement that I liked in “Excavation.” That approach evolved into an over-laying of images, sometimes dense enough to be a texture, and each developed slowly, without implicit meaning, narrative aspect or a specific theme. My feeling is that nonetheless with each of these paintings something like a story is emerging.
Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012
Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012
Oil on canvas, 65 x73 inches, 2012
Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 59 x82 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013
Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013
Oil on canvas, 57 x74 inches, 2013
Oil on canvas, 45 x 49 inches, 2012
Reexcavation 5 (detail)
Reexcavation 6 (Touch Hands), oil on canvas, 60 x 42 inches, 2015
Reexcavation 6 (detail)
Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014
Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014
Oil on canvas, 50 x 70 inches, 2014
Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 55 x 69 inches, 2016
Oil on canvas, 43 x 52 inches, 2014
Oil on canvas, 43 x 52 inches, 2014
Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016
Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016
Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 51 inches, 2016
Reexcavation 12 (detail)
Ink on rice paper
Residential exhibition (detail of wall 8 x 26 feet), each drawing 15 x 11 inches, 1993
Twelve monk head drawings mounted on canvas, 64 x 37 inches, compiled for San Francisco Zen Center Exhibition, 2000
Ink on glazed rice paper, 56 x 18 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001
Mounted on panel, 62 x 46 inches, Peltz Gallery, 1998
Peltz Gallery, ink on roll rice paper, 60 x 84 inches, 1998
Monk Head drawings, Peltz Gallery, 1998
Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 24 x 19 inches, 1997
Ink on guest check slips mounted on canvas, 24 x 19 inches, 1997
Ink on rice paper mounted on panel, 31 x 25 inches, 1997
Three installations of Monk Head drawings, 2001
Three installations of Monk Head drawings, 2001
Monk Head drawings, ink on grid rice paper, 78 x 201 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001
Monk Head drawings, ink on grid rice paper, 78 x 201 inches, Robischon Gallery, 2001
Monk Head drawings, ink on rice paper, 92 x 34 inches 2001
Ink on book pages, mounted on canvas, diptych, 64 x 102 inches, 1997
Ink on rice paper mounted on vinyl tablecloth and panel, 35 x 40 inches, 1997
Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 23 x 70 inches,
Monk Head drawings , ink on rice paper, 92 x 34 inches 2001
Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 20 x 25 inches, 1995
Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 22 x 26 inches, 1995
Ink on rice paper mounted on canvas, 22 x 26 inches, 1995
Sumi Ink and Watercolor on Guest Check papers, mounted on panel, 26 x 40 inches, 1996
Sumi Ink on Guest Check papers, mounted on canvas, 23 x 18 inches, 1996
Sumi Ink on Rice paper (commonly a grid calligraphy practice paper), all: 16 x 11 inches. Mounted individually, in groups, or as a full wall configuration.
Miscellaneous drawings and studies, most sumi ink on rice paper. Many with the usual monk head or hydra-head motif as part of the overlaid imagery. The larger 30 x 40 inches, and various smaller sizes. 1991 - 2017
Paintings referencing, incorporating or implying some Buddhist iconography. Many larger works have pattern-field arrangements.
