Right my Brother "Flight of a Course"

Painting and Sculpture

"Flight of a Course"

200cm x 180cm x 80cm

2011

Wood, Metal

Noosa Regional Gallery Traveling Scholarship

Tewantin,Qld Australia

 The idea of suspension is very foreign to the human condition, I am amazed at the wonder of flight as most of us are, however as it relates to the future and energy production, I am excited that looking at our past we found innovation and invention during the industrial revolution that we can go into this new 'decade of transition' by invention and thinking of flight may get us there,... where renewable energy in the form of wind turbines and using the natural elements such as suspension and science can take us. I am still interested in the concept of what is luxury and what is necessity, in the past it has been luxury with cheap fossil fuels, now it is necessity that should be driving our innovation, and that is as contemporary as it gets, with the democrats and republicans in a battle, I see this as most important to teach children we may need to look at art differently, that is why I am excited about combining art and engineering. Flight of a course is foremost about balance and from an engineering point of view it is important that friction is the limited, and the simple concept of balance is a great starting point for energy harnessing.  I am a huge fan of Martin Puryear as his forms are simple, provocative, and speak of dreamlike reproductions of utility. The open ended interpretation is what I strive for using metaphor as the narrative. Simple is difficult for me because there seems so much to say. As with Puryear the materials are important and that is why wood and metal speak to me at the moment. I am interested in the primitive both sculptural and drawing and painting. 

This is the initial stages of the painting submitted for the Kenilworth Arts Prize

winner to be announced.

September 24,25 -2011

        "Homage to Our Fertile Land"

Oil on Board

   940mm x 975mm

2011

The continuing theme of flight and suspension seems to be of importance to my inner consciousness, it is something that has been an issue originating in the great state of North Carolina where the island life on Topsail Island discovered the birds of the wetlands, ocean flight underwater with the sea turtles and the notion of floating in a canoe with my trusty companion sable, a black lab that served as companion and ballast.  I recall the feather, the canoe and the Wright Brothers leap off Kill Devil Hills initiating the first flight.  Simple as it may be fashioning some wood and material to a flying machine, the study of flight has long since been instrumental as inspiration.