My love for metal art began in Mexico in 1972, while studying with the bronze casting master, Walter Webber in San Miguel de Allende. My metal sculptures reflect my enduring interests in visual pleasure, energy and freedom and are an expression of my on-going dialogue with the metals I work with, copper, aluminum, steel and bronze. My background in fine art serigraphs, film and photography produced in me a primarily interested in shape, design and color. Copper and Bronze has an amazing range of colors that can be developed with flame and fire, plus myriad chemically induced colors. Aluminum and steel are captivating when wire-brushed.
Many of my metal sculptures are puzzle pieces. I cut up one piece of metal into many then reassemble them into a more visually stimulating, higher level of order, often large-scale. My purpose is to delight the brain and visual centers in a non-cerebral manner by creating a visual dichotomy that might relate to film, music or literature.
My secondary purpose is to create work that has not been seen before. There are two aspects of being an artist - the act of doing and the end result. Which is more important? As a spiritual being, during the act of creating a work of art I, in turn, am created. I then, learn by doing. The media speaks to me. The flow experience ensues, one of the great joys of being an artist. It's a great satisfaction to forever continue to grow as an artist and to be more and more conversant with my media.
But the primary reason I am an Artist is for the joy of it, that incredible rush of empowering energy when I've finished a piece and step back from it and say somehow I did that! And that's the response I hope to get from the viewer too.
Most of my artwork does not have an obvious contextual reference. My artwork is designed to simultaneously soothe and stimulate the viewer, inviting the viewer to step out of his world and relax and reframe his vision of himself and his life.
© 2008 Purple Planet Studios