Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Soft Landing

12x12" oil on canvas, available

The second most frequent question I get asked (after "What were you thinking?") is "How do you come up with the names for your paintings?" Well, I keep a notebook stuffed with snippets of phrases, unusual words and overheard conversations. When the painting is finished and if it hasn't named itself during the process of getting painted, I pull out my trusty notebook. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right title in my book--I literally have hundreds. But most often I angst for a day or two until the painting grows into one of its possible names. 

Words and language are an important part of my work as you can see in the detail photo below. The last marks I make on a painting are the words scratched into the background. I think it adds another layer of expression. These words and phrases usually describe what's going on around me or in my life at the time of making the painting. Many times it's lyrics from the music I'm playing in the studio. Can you tell who I was listening to on the day I painted this piece?

$465 + 15.50 shipping

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