Vision
I do not paint and draw for intellectual purposes. I began to do art long before I even knew what art was. Art is life itself. It is tactile, it is feeling, it is sensuous, and in time it has become, for me, full of heart.
I do not paint with my brain. I paint with my yearning skin. It is my soul seeking something divine, alive, delicate, angry, on fire, and impassioned.
Painting is breathing. It is Linga. It is wet on wet, dry on wet, moisture meeting flame. It is the contours of bodies, barely lit, amidst the power of life, and locked in an eternal embrace.
My art is a journey. Every work has a new element that alters the course, elevates the path, always. Every work seeks something new, and the knowledge — the nuances of information accumulated, borrowed or self-discovered, then refined — pushes my art forward to something more ideal, even enlightened.
Darkness will show you the light, and light exposes the lines, contours, and weaknesses that make us special. The peace in meditative drawing, what the Yogi craves without craving. Life’s a cold day in winter, when you’re blinded by the sun!
Surrealism
Surrealism is a style of art that “stresses” the subconscious, nonrational imagery arrived at by the exploitation of chance effects and unexpected juxtapositions. It is the practice of producing fantastic or incongruous imagery.
Surrealism can also be a way of life! A culture that embraces the power of God, chance, and the whims of nature and harmony through opposites.
Don’t be afraid to jump into the unknown.
Asian Influence
I began traveling in Asia in 1985 and immediately fell in love with the people and cultures. I started traveling to Cambodia in 2002. Cambodia is both a country with eons of history and it is also constantly being reborn due to recent wars.
The Khmer people live close to their hearts and to nature. I was amazed at the artistic talent I witnessed in the children of Cambodia. I felt there was an opportunity for me to give my time (not just money) in an effort to help young people to learn art and advance their talents.
I started teaching at one school in Siem Reap, then branched out to others. In 2004 we bought a building in downtown Siem Reap, and opened the Colors of Cambodia Gallery. We hired teachers, experienced the pains of running a business, and we taught art to kids at the gallery and in local rural schools.
Hundreds of children are taught weekly, and thousands annually, by the Colors of Cambodia staff. We host art shows, raise funds, and get help from amazing volunteers. We have a website, facebook page, and even an ecommerce site, which sells student artwork to help generate income for the students and fund programs.
Indigenous & tribal peoples
I have always been fascinated with Native Americans. It could be because my mother grew up next to the Fort Beltnap Indian Reservation in Montana.
Their faces are carved by wind and fire and the seasons. God lives in their bellies. They accept nature as their home, not something to be conquered. To me they represent a truth and honesty.
I am sure this love of mine led to my interest in the Khmer people in Cambodia. Their lives are so thoroughly intertwined with God, Buddha, and nature. My greatest spiritual moments are typically when I am surrounded by nature.