I have begun a new series of collage work. I am taking paper, cutting it into shapes and gluing it down to form landscape scenes that I will later turn into large oil paintings. I love the spontaneity of cut paper. I am not even attaching it in an archival manner because I do not want any hindrance to the quick automatic placement of each layer. I am working in an abstract expressionist freedom which I will use as a launching pad for more tightly rendered work. Paper is everywhere in my studio.

In the past week I have spun myself into a tizzy thinking up ideas for different directions my work could take. This is what happens when I am between paintings. Sooo... I thought I would take a moment to clarify for myself just what I am doing in paint these days. I don't want to get lost in the muckery of Internet ideas...

I am using simple forms as a means to paint complex surfaces. Balance, design, and the grid are structures I use to build layers of paint surface. I have always be drawn to lines made unconsciously, you cannot fake that. I have noticed that slick, flashy, eye popping, software developed work is the order of the day. This kind of painting makes good printed matter, on the web or in art magazines, but sometimes suffers on the walls. I prefer work that is subtle easy on the eyes, and has a painted history which seeps out over time.

Sometimes its hard for me not to want to jump the rails, move in a whole new direction. What artist does not question their direction at times, for now I need to maintain course.

I can not sing the praises of Alexander Calder enough. I am reading a book about De Kooning which I am half the way through. To be honest I love art history but there are some things about his life that I just do not care about. Its really causing me to be less interested in him as an artist. Calder's life on the other hand, except for his work and pictures I have seen of him in his studio, I know little of. What I like about Calder is that his work is unpretentious, art is synonymous with play. I see a genuine love of life being translated into metal. I wonder what I would find out to dispel this myth If I were to read a 630 page biography about him.