Gods Monkey

“Any progress toward the salvation of humankind will probably begin from the bottom—when our gods have been devalued to the status of refrigerator magnets or lawn ornaments.”
― Thomas Ligotti, The Conspiracy Against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror

Oil on canvas
9″x 12″
(2019)

The title actually comes from a David Sylvian/Robert Fripp track of the same name, which contains the lines;”Born in darkness-Built on shame-And hurting”.
Wow.
Potent stuff.

The painting was borne out of quite an old pen and ink drawing from 2015 I think, resurrected as a sort of lodestar for my next series, but it struck me recently whilst eliciting research, that the meat and sandwich of the whole end quest, was going to be some sort of reckoning with God-a visual trial by fire if you will, and by that same task= man, since y’know…chicken and egg.

Like I say, potent stuff, so our primate here is a little totem of modern piety, a paradox of hypocrisy and sanctimony.

It’s available in my store for a different kind of song from the following link. HERE

Living Proof

It’s true, April had a few momentary troughs.  And a very rain sodden May more than it’s usual grays.  Except to say-my demise greatly exaggerated-I haven’t disappeared into the downy dumps of the usual post show funk.

I mean can anyone feel dour when sitting opposite this daily vision of morning loveliness?  And if my wife Lani seems otherwise occupied, it gets pretty damn exciting when you realize what she is engrossed in.
About which, more details to follow.
What else?

I’ve been silently plotting, quite literally as I begin writing duties on an art book titled Trinity, which will be a collected volume of the three series, Purgatorium, Paradiso’s Fall and the upcoming Infernal, which I am hoping to release in time for the next show I am preparing for in 2021.

And finally, it’s been a long time coming, but you may have noted that my store is now at long last, up and running, and includes a wide selection of original art, signed prints and art catalogues, with more to be added, so keep a keen eye for updates and you know, support living artists.

SHOP HERE

The next thing

“I will show you fear in a handful of dust”
T S Eliot. The Wasteland

So here you have it, this is me signing on for more of the same madness for what will be the forseeable two years. No rest for the wicked or maybe even the witless -who can say. Infernal, the Denouement- the final in a three part series, that started with Purgatorium in 2012.

As with the last two series, I’ll be using a literary springboard to jump start my visual ideas, this time in no less a monumental work than T.S.Eliot’s”The Wasteland”. That’s quite heavy stock for the stew right there.

Given that the opening lines begin “April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land”, should give one an inkling of where I’m coming from-this being April and all.
No set date yet, but Infernal will open in 2021 at The Dark Art Emporium.
The end is nigh.

Paradiso’s End

And so the show is a wrap, off the walls, down but not forsaken. Whilst I return to the studio ashes, future plans include the final sequence of the proposed trilogy-more about which to follow- an art book compiling the three, and a reanimated graphic novel, 25 years in the making.

Onwards then.

In the meantime, if you missed seeing the show in person, here are all the paintings that comprised Paradiso’s Fall.

The Death Eaters 48″ x 36″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

The Death Eaters 48″ x 36″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

The Death Eaters 48″ x 36″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

The Death Eaters 48″ x 36″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

Origins of a Black Hole 36″ x 48″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

Origins of a Black Hole 36″ x 48″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

The Origins of Death 36″ x 48″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

Ages of Hopeless End 48″ x 36″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

For Want of Other Prey 36″ x 48″ – Oil on canvas (2019)

Paradiso’s Fall Opening. Artist Reception-March 9th

So you do a show, and of course you hope that somehow the planets will align. That people come and like what they see. That your work will connect with the visitors, and hopefully make a few sales, cover your costs, and if it all falls short of your hopes, then you’ve still done the graft at the end of the day, because the doing is ultimately the reason for the season.

Except, after years of accepting your lot-when it goes beyond that, when your hopes are surpassed , it can be every bit as paralyzing as disappointment. Which is why it’s taken me over a week to to say that I’m feeling flabbergasted-humbled-incredibly blessed.  The friends, the visitors, the collectors, my fellow artists, the curators Jeremy Schott and Jeremy Cross, my wife Lani…my mad gratitude.

You can see previews of the show Here
Paradiso’s Fall closes at The Dark Art Emporium- March 30th.

 

 

With Vincent Castiglia

With Evgenia Golik

With Tatomir Pitariu and Bill Shafer of Hyaena

With Chet Zar

 

With Lani

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Interview

“So Paradiso’s Fall came to represent that dark desire that is innate within us all. That the correlation as an artist to change our external reality, to deconstruct so to represent our interior world, extends beyond the canvas, throughout mankind as a very fundamental human function.”
Speaking to Beautiful Bizarre.

And I mean, how splendid is this? In which I talk a little about my process for the series, dark art, living and working in Julian and future plans. There’s also a small preview of some of the pieces.

READ THE INTERVIEW HERE

I have to say, the publicity surrounding this show has completely bowled me over. After a decade of unveiling shows in a vacuum of seeming indifference, it’s been like a revelation. I am beside myself with gratitude. Thank you BB, Bella Harris, and Jeremy’s Schott and Cross of Dark Art Emporium. Just Stellar.

Two more nerve wracked sleeps before showtime, and all will be revealed.

Paradiso’s Fall-Trailer 2

Another little video feature, in which I talk about death and the art of living. Just some of the motivation for the piece “Whats Dark Within, Illuminate” for the show Paradiso’s Fall, this Saturday at Dark Art Emporium