Artist Interviews
Excerpts from an unpublished Artist's interview
I understand that you focus on large-scale photographs of "organic forms." Can you talk a little bit about your work?

The work is an investigation of "Chaotic" patterns found in nature. These are patterns that have what is called "self-similarity." That is to say, compositional elements, that are readily identifiable as the same, yet varying in size and scale and existing randomly in placement within space and time. An example would be pine needles that over a period of time have fallen from a tree to the ground carpeting the surface below. Generically as objects, they are all the same, yet no two are the exactly alike, having varying size, scale and proportion. They have all fallen at different times creating a pattern that seems to be structurally repetitive and organized, yet are totally random in their distribution and relationship to each other.

I investigate these phenomena, by introducing and utilizing symmetry as a tool, thus forcing and creating order out of randomness. The resulting patterns though organic in origin, become manipulated abstractions from nature defying identification relative to their size, scale and lack of subjective reference. Consequently viewers have no tangible content to grasp in order to formulate and identify the images they are confronted with. This forces the viewer to rely upon their own subliminal collection of past empirical experiences and observations to formulate a response to what they are seeing. Although there may be some common responses, by and large everyone sees something completely different and individualized. And when they leave and return to the work they may find themselves seeing something totally new. This is reinforced by the fact that the symmetry creates a mirror image which corresponds with many of our previously experienced images, especially human facial and organic forms that we are accustom to seeing. This left and right handedness is ingrained in the way we perceive our phenomenological world and acquire knowledge.

Why the large size?
In many ways it's all about size or more specifically, how we perceive scale and rate of change. What is size and in relationship to what? How do we determine scale, when through abstraction you do not have a frame of reference to base your perceptions and observations? What is size but an individuals physiological response to ones own environment.
Is there a particular theme/subject matter you're particularly interested in now?

Yes. Originally this body of work was limited to one generation of symmetry and the sole use of black and white. The black and white creates a specific focus on the patterns taken from nature, both linear and form based without the subjective connotation of color's influence.

Now my work is utilizing multiple generations of symmetry and color applied to create very intricate patterns on a grand scale. The images become textural layers of line and form almost like fabric and the pieces can be multiple panels with sizes ranging up to 68" high by 176" wide. I've temporarily called this work "The Fabric of Life Series".

This work has not been seen yet by the public. I will have one piece at the alternate spaces of "Open Studios" this year. The main body of this new work will be seen at my one man exhibition at the Silvermine Galleries in New Canaan this coming March 20th.

Why do these themes/subject matters hold a fascination for you?
Because the phenomenology of intuitiveness is inextricably linked to Chaos theory and the idea of randomness, this becomes a profound insight into how nature works and how we as sentient beings realize our environment. This is the crux of perception, art making and the experiencing process.