Influences

Swing, 2008, oil and charcoal on canvas, 18" x 24"

I was looking closely at a few of my latest paintings and there was something about them, some quality that I couldn't put my finger on. I just realized what it is that they have been reminding me of. Most of my paintings begin with a memory of an image either from my direct past or often enough, from movies or books that were influential to me. Some of my newest paintings seem to be linked to that one scene in Terminator 2, the dream sequence where you see children playing in a playground right before Judgement Day. That movie always freaked me out, I guess I saw it at the right time. There's an emptiness to the paintings, and it feels strange to be looking at something like a swing set without anyone playing on it - so lonely.