Here's what it's all about for me: the compulsion to paint strong content while pushing the formal aspects of painting as far as I can and end up with a visual statement that I can admit to having created. The artwork must address the intellect and the emotion of a viewer, or at least an awake viewer. I try to engage my subconscious as fully as I can in striving to achieve something profound of sublime or shocking or mocking in some way. The problem is I don't have a surefire stragedy to trigger a process. Furthermore I must keep my conscience technical understanding assisting at some level. When I am successful it can be fun but usually involves major struggle.

In some way the struggle puts my soul, or higher self, against my imperfect self. Somewhere deep down I know how to paint the picture if I can clear away the obstacles and also subdue any wrong impulses that would sabotage the endeavor to have a compulsion to follow the dictates of my passion and prejudices. I think these indulgences flavor the "truths" I'm trying to expose. I can't seem to communicate without involving humor. Maybe humor helps soften the pain of stumbling around in the fog concealing truth. Maybe it helps to bring me back to the easel time and time again, bruises and all. I've been accused of seeing the negative side of life and I think humor is called for to provide some joy without avoiding "mans folly" as my subject matter. I also believe the subconscious mind plays a role in this.

So that's what its like for me, I'm sailing with a spinning compass. Or one could say the waves of the ocean are the subconscious and I am the surfer trying to catch a wave and ride it as far as I can, just to paddle out again and try to catch another wave. But many times the shore is lost in the fog.

EDUCATIONAL RECORD, DEGREES:

* 1991 M.F.A. (painting and drawing) Central Washington University; Ellensburg, Washington
* 1972 B.F.A. (painting) Philadelphia College of Art (University of the Arts); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* 1968-1969 Mercer County Community College; Trenton, New Jersey
* 1964-1966 Tyler School of Art of Temple University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania