“Enclosed in a mausoleum. Surrounded by my lifelong collection of philosophical books. Beside them lurk my instruments; a piano, various stringed instruments, a talking drum. An easel stands tall atop an old Persian rug. A table set with brushes and oils. There was always the imagination, and a temple to alter it. You may think the music hollow, still I found the notes that pleased me. It started as an illusion which led me to leave this all behind, this lifework hovering just above a generation. The art of Self Impressionism became grounded in my psyche as far back as memory itself. The truth is, as a child my task was to throw the ball as far away from where I was and by the time it took to retrieve it I would be cured my affliction of boredom. With all the wonder of possibility unfolding by degrees I found life’s projections, when interpreted through the creative consciousness, revealed distinct patterns of guided interest. Know thyself in this moment and it will change the next, but record one’s dreams and architect and archeologist may return to decipher their unique mythology. paintings are layers of strokes, hammering a nail a series of taps, a piece of music is the progression of notes and so on, ever influenced by our last move. As in the game of chess, the history of our lives is revealed constantly with the event of each action preceding the final masterpiece”.-MLH
SELF~IMPRESSIONISM
THE RITUAL OF PAINTING
“...the ritual of painting all begins with the void; entering the spacial entity of nothingness and building a bridge for the imagination to move onward. Instinctively the web of colored lines weave their abstractions toward the harmony of conceptual scenery. The initial mark, the phantom image born, will mutate into mountain, tree, a body of water and sky, a figure may appear if conditions allow. Herein lies the most crucial decision: What wishes to be seen and what shall remain hidden? I try to preserve the phantom image, indicating the pathways leading outside the maze. At times stokes will disappear, leaving no trace of how we arrived. By using abstraction as a means to repress former or future thoughts, that is, during the long hours of painting, allows the image to reveal itself carefully, layer by layer, with no judgement as to what it will become. This improvisation, influenced by the last form of color, represents another new beginning, and at the same time furthers the detail closer toward the realm of an ideal work.The artist travels ever deeper into the void discovering it a void no longer but an atmosphere filled with knowns and unknowns, lights and shadows. All that exists in reality is interchangeable with the unreal, that is, what we do not see, but whose presence we feel. In the transference of energy between what is felt by the artist, while in the trance of visualization, and what is channelled to the viewer, through the radiation of this energy, a hypnotic relationship occurs.
I've chosen not to use a live model, actual landscape, or reference photograph when it's impossible to reproduce what we see. My dedication is producing in terms of what I know, or mean to discover in that moment. One can utilize more potency when energy coexists between artist and hallucination, without a secondary object in sight to distract the focus. My stimulation branches from the roots of primordial Nature, what lies beneath, what forces conflict in us, what nirvanas attained through the journey, and, ultimately, what message is deciphered, and, at last, imbued to the viewer. If timelessness can be captured in a moment this is the goal. Of course, everyone shall not appreciate the results. Great failures are as great success, and in the historical world of art they are often one in the same. Has the artist's journey within the void gone too far away from reality? Have the translations revealed an idea steeped in mystery ? As the paintings remain, does their spirit wither through time or grow stronger? These answers are the summation of the choices and decisions of the past.”~ MLH
GALLERY OF PAINTED WORKS
FORMS IN SCULPTURE
“...it's still about drawing from the representation of Nature's form within a mass of earthen clay and raising from it’s surface it’s relationship to negative space. Sculpture presents many more challenges for me than painting, although just as many disasters have occurred in each medium. A stranger once wrote me during a time of struggle, suggesting to let it pour through the hands. Fingers make the most efficient tools and where they cannot reach there is a chopstick. A sculpture in all stages of metamorphosis entices the artist to master creating in the third dimension. How intricate the relationship with these transformations dictates the result of the final form. As in painting, the artist must know the surroundings which lie beyond the view and what influence they have on the figures and forms sprouting from the atmosphere contained within the scene. Loose strokes can be powerful in sculpture as they bear witness to it’s evolution. Instincts of drawing, composition, shadow value, and surface texture combine with the balance of moisture and drying time to give inspiration to the work in progress. Extracting forms from clay is to portray their birth. The artist labors long to find the truth, which is derivative of the deepest primal meaning, At the same time, the artist exists in harmony with the present condition leading into the future of the complete work. Archetypal, symbolist, allegorical; in sculpture, as in painting, there is but one image to present. It's not a moving picture, so it hasn’t the luxury of multiple chapters to explain it’s intention. It must embody all the emotional references of life and death in order to exist beyond mere decoration.”~MLH
GALLERY OF SCULPTED WORKS
LITERARY WORKS
