A Long & Busy Summer

May 7th was so long ago. An awful lot has happened this past summer, but alas not much art making. I have sent out proposal packages for several projects around the country, and have only received two rejections so far... fingers are crossed as the remaining projects are the most exciting ones. The most interesting one is probably the least likely for me to get as the budget is enormous and the locations appear to be mostly exterior. Every public artist worth their salt will want a piece of this one, and although I have some substantial projects under my belt I don’t have the portfolio depth that some of the great artists out there do.

Nevertheless, answering the RFP was a worthwhile exercise. As the project is for a new Courthouse, part of the application process was to answer this question in 75 words or less:

How might the theme of “justice” be incorporated in your work on the public art for this complex?

Answering this in 75 words or less is no easy task, but I feel good about my response:

Samuel Butler said, “Justice is my being allowed to do whatever I like. Injustice is whatever prevents my doing so.” If this is so, then civic justice is only as fair as the individuals it includes. Inclusivity and access lead to selflessness, impartiality, and ultimately justice. My artwork, being made of separate distinct pieces, illustrates the sum as being greater than its parts; that quite literally, the big picture is made of individuals working together.

Exactly 75 words.


I also have an exhibit of my plein air paintings at the Hosmer Gallery at the Forbes Library in Northampton MA for the month of September with another artist, Cynthia Thomas. The Forbes Library happens to also be the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library. In their Presidential collection is a mechanical "horse" that Silent Cal would ride twice a day for exercise. Imagine a black Victorian inspired mechanical bull, or supermarket ride with an English saddle on it. The highlight of the collection is a full length Eagle feather Sioux Indian headdress. Several years ago, when this library was being renovated, part of the collection went to the Flynt Center at Historic Deerfield. They called me to create several object mounts for the exhibit, including this headress. It is a very impressive object.