The Studio

Artist Residency

I am currently off the grid and working at a residency in Vermont. I will return in one month with new work.

A Masculine State of Affairs

48x85 inches. Life-sized figure. Oil on canvas (diptych)
not quite finished..but almost.

Confident, absurd, royal. Gliding through time and space on a gilded chariot (or is that a child's pull toy?). How is such an antiquated and silly machine propelling him forward? Where could he be going? Good questions, but does any of that matter when he can enjoy such delicious treats during the ride?

Death of the Rabbit

48x60 inches. Oil on Canvas.

Current Exhibition: Overture Center for the Arts

artsTRIBE presents:
O Fortuna! Exploring Carmina Burana
March - June 2007
In collaboration with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, we explore the links between Carl Orff's famous musical score and the rich history of the original Burana Codex that inspired it.

Visit our website to discover the many ways that you can participate in our explorations.

Opening Reception: April 13, 6-9PM

also join us on
Gallery Night: May 4
Madison Symphony Orchestra performances: May 11,12,13

Press Reviews

The Opening

New Work in Progress

Week 3: trying to bring it back...
Day 3: laying down pigment with a limited palette


Day 1: underpainting. wanting to work with a more limited palette. still hooked on strange ideas of movement through time and life. these movements have a 'carnivalesque' feeling to them however my figures react with a blase normalcy as they get carried along.

Symbols Symbols Everywhere

New Work in Progress. Very early stages.
48x60" oil on canvas.

I am thinking about symbols of the feminine that come to us in life through repeated appearances whether they be ironic or personal in nature.

Fear of Aging 1

Hunger for Images?

Yesterday I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum to see 3 contemporary painters talk about a 'Hunger for Images'. It was to coincide with the Francis Bacon exhibition, but I never saw the direct connection.

Plucking artists out of their studios and sticking them on a rigidly formal 'discussion panel' seemed totally ironic. A more open discussion led by the artists would have been more appropriate. The museum curator and director seemed like outdated caricatures of themselves.

However, hearing the artists talk about their paintings and give presentations on their personal work was highly inspiring. I came away thinking about painting as above all an object. I need to pay more attention to the materiality/physicality of the paint. I was especially moved by the words (and paintings!) of Jose Lerma. So...I'm absorbing and processing my thoughts right now, and I'll be posting new and different paintings very soon. I promise.

Happy 2007!

I hope everyone's start to the new year went fabulously well. I can say that my trip through Mexico and Guatemala served as a most relaxing and uplifting brake from my daily life. I'll be back posting paintings soon, but for now..here are a couple pics of me posing with Mayan ruins.

Woman on the Carousel

A Work in Progress.
Very Early stages.

Baby at the Carnival

I've included details and a view of the complete diptych. Elements of this may still change. This oil painting is 48x72 inches with the two panels together.

Girl in a Red Tunic

A girl stood
in a red tunic;
if anyone touched it,
the tunic rustled.

A girl stood
like a little rose:
her face was radiant
and her mouth
in Bloom.

A Mother's Story and a Child's Tale

Update: Work in Progress

On the Edge of Creativity

What did I do in the studio today? I stared at two large blank canvases and fiddled with my camera. What else is there to do at the start of a new project but procrastinate? Stay tuned for new paintings.

Wedding Portrait

My older brother was married this weekend on Cape Cod. It was a beautiful weekend on the ocean. This was my gift to them. Two 11x14 oil paintings on wood panels.

These portraits are a departure from my current series and like my 'Myself as Giovanna Tornabuoni' painting, they echo Italian Renaissance wedding portraits.

Oil Painting : Myself as Giovanna Tornabuoni

This is the oil painting of myself as Giovanna Tornabuoni. It is about the same size as Ghirlandaio's original painting of Giovanna from 1488, but slightly wider. The glazing technique I used offers more luminosity than can be seen here. It also has a sheen that is very difficult to photograph, but I think you get the main idea.