“The Pop Shop” Artist Statement
Brighten Your Way and Have a Nice Day 🙂
My previous work dealt with abstract ideas about progress and the optimistic world of Mid-Century Modernism. But in the aftermath of world (and personal) tragedy, I found it hard to paint “happy.” I tried to reconcile my drive to be creative and express, but all that came across was gray paint and depression.
On the brighter side, I had just inherited over 20 canvases from my grandmother who was a wonderful landscape painter. I decided to use this gift to my advantage and start testing out new painterly techniques. Taking a completely experimental approach from all previous work, a whole new series of paintings was begun on the one year anniversary of 9/11. It ended up being the most personal work I’ve done to date.
At the same time, I have been collecting cheap trinkets of Pop Culture for over twenty years and decided it was time to share the ‘miniature’ joy they bring! So these abstract paintings are filled with little ornaments of childhood innocence.
I chose specifically to show this series of work at the Boba Bar due to the nature of the product. Boba otherwise known as black pearl tea is a sweet and addicting concoction that has a Sanrio style sensibility. It is the perfect bubbly drink to consume while looking at happy paintings with underlying complicated emotional texture.
Bright clear paint colors hide an underlying undercurrent of ugliness and sometimes disturbing dissent in theme. But that’s life, isn’t it? We fill our hours with TV and trivia to keep from feeling the desperate loneliness of existence and the often bitter reality of day to day life. And somehow it keeps us going and going and going…
So enjoy the paintings and have a nice day 🙂





















