Pathways, reflections, and simple patterns of light and dark values have always appealed to me. One theme that has made an appearance since I began painting professionally has been imagery depicting a bridge. For years I’ve explored the idea of movement from here to there in many semi-abstracted works.
Occasionally, someone will say, “You’ve moved in a new direction”. I often find myself holding back the information that the fundamentals of abstraction have always been with me.
Early in my professional career, I submitted three abstracted paintings ( that included a bridge themed piece) for a major show at a midwestern gallery. They refused to hang those three along with my more tradition work with the words, “we’ll never sell abstract art.” Guess what’s hanging there now?
That experience was a serious blow to my confidence and for many years I painted abstracted works just for me. When I began to confront my fear of exposing too much with abstract work, I found that my collectors readily accepted both my representational works and what I have come to call work of abstracted realism.
A Bridge too Far harkens back to those early days -it marks a journey that is both personal and artistic. Perhaps it says, come, travel with me.
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