Artist Bio/Statement 2001:
I grew up in the St. Louis
area during the 50’s and 60’s, was drafted into the army in 1970 and met my
wife, Donna in Philadelphia in 1971. Donna noticed my casual interest in art
and her encouragement was important in my decision to pursue training at The
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1973-77. We moved to Sullivan Co. in
1977 where we built our home and life on Ringer hill. My art and landscapes, in particular, have
grown out of the richness of my life with my family here in
NE PA.
My
exhibition history shows frequent and on-going regional involvement and also
national and international presence while being recognized by education
administrators in the Job Corps program and my professional colleagues who have
included me in shows in the Cairo Opera House Contemporary Art Gallery in Egypt,
US Capitol and the UN buildings in New York and South Africa. My exhibit in the
US Capitol in 1997 was sponsored by a US Senator and accompanied by
his nomination for the National Medal of Arts for my programming in Job Corps.
Since
1998 I have been active as a roster artist for the Pennsylvania Council on the
Arts (PCA). In 2020 the PCA selected me for their continuing education
application by enrolling me in the University of the Arts in Philadelphia so that I could obtain
their teaching artist certification. Due to the pandemic in 2020 my residencies expanded when I
developed the idea of doing outdoor class sessions to explore the plein air
style in a workshop/class setting. In 2022 I provided three residencies in PA
both indoors and outdoors and an exhibit featuring the products of these
sessions was exhibited at the Sullivan county Library in November and December
of 2022.
I enjoy the exchange of
inspiration as a teacher. My work with students is an important sharing process
that I can use in combination with my own production of images. I hope to steer
and be a part of the effort that will erode the stubborn and indifferent
mindset that holds back our spiritual maturity. I believe that the spiritual
capacity in each of us often remains dormant under the surface. Arts enrichment
is a viable and direct connection to this capacity. The reluctance or
indifference by our society to provide accessibility to arts enrichment for
educational value reveals a lack of understanding.. We should apply and
integrate arts in its wide variety of forms into the education process. This
should be done not necessarily to create more artists but to help all students
access inspiration, built-in wisdom/individual insights and sensitivity. This
should be a basic expectation for human development. We can begin with all of
our children at the earliest age to help them get connected with their innate
wisdom and capacities. We owe it to our children so they can show us how to
change the world for the better if we will only help them.
During 2001 I joined my
students and other artists in an international exhibit entitled “Breaking the
Walls of Prejudice, Bias and Stigma.” My silk painting entitled “Spiritual
Poverty” was my contribution to this exhibit. I have included the silk painting
that was viewed in the United Nations buildings in New York and Durban,
South Africa. The show was exhibited during the World Conference
against Racism held in Durban during August and September of 2001. The collection
of about 20 banners returned to NY City on September 11th just prior
to the attack on the World Trade Center.
I will include an excerpt
from a statement that accompanied the banner in the exhibit.
“As an artist I attempt to
view the scene with the awe and freshness of a child. I see the infinite
complexity and beauty in nature as contrasted with the mechanical and
indifferent geometry that man has fabricated as an intruder in the ornate
natural world. Our technological advances are a trifle in comparison to our
creator’s work. Our arrogance and indifference to the laws of the natural
system will lead us further into discord and futility, but our humbleness will
lead us toward harmony and progress. As pessimists, we are already doomed by
the lack of faith in human capacity. As optimists we will take
steps forward and seek the resolve of a spiritual awakening and human
metamorphosis. Our society remains in the caterpillar stage of development and
needs the spiritual transformation to reach a new definition for progress and
well being. Our emphasis on materialism reflects our spiritual poverty. Our
actions show how our priorities reflect disconnection with nature and the
creator. It requires mindlessness and emptiness to continue to lie spoils to
the world that we will pass onto our children. We can re-define progress now if
we want or can we wait until the urgency defines it for us? “
Top photo: Red Rock student group seen in front of their art in UN New York City in 2001
Bottom image is my silk banner titled "Spiritual Poverty"
"Spiritual Poverty"
In
a statement that I used back in 2001 for the silk banner shared in this post
titled “Spiritual Poverty” I stated “Our emphasis on materialism reflects our
spiritual poverty. Our actions show how our priorities reflect disconnection
with nature and the creator. It requires mindlessness and emptiness to continue
to lay spoils to the world that we will pass onto our children” The final
statement in that paper attributed (maybe falsely) to Chief Seattle was
compelling for me to use as follows; “Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but a thread of it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All
things are bound together. All things connect. Whatever befalls the earth
befalls also the children of the earth.”
As was noted later it was not authenticated that the chief ever sent
this statement to President Pierce. So I stated; if so then isn’t it about time
we find a world leader who would embrace such a thought. Well we have a
beginning as our President Obama spearheaded the global climate change
initiative in Paris making it a political
emphasis globally and Pope Francis addressed our congress in 2015 and framed it
as a spiritual/moral issue for protecting our planet and future for our
children. I am sharing his recent statement below on this page and another
message on a second page positioned nearby
Pope Francis on Climate
Change
Last
year Pope Francis provided his insights to our country when he visited the US and addressed a joint
session of congress. At that time he spoke of the plight of the poor and
refugees, income inequality among other things. He also mentioned protecting
the planet from climate change and pollution. During September of this year he
was quoted below;
ByBradford
Richardson- The Washington Times - Thursday, September 1, 2016
Pope
Francis is imploring Catholics to confess their sins against the environment,
calling the degradation of the climate a “sin against God.”
In
his message marking the World day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on
Thursday, the pontiff said climate change is caused in part by human activity,
leads to extreme weather and disproportionately affects the least advantaged
around the world.
“Global
warming continues, due in part to human activity: 2015 was the warmest year on
record, and 2016 will likely be warmer still,” Francis said. “This is leading
to ever more severe droughts, floods, fires and extreme weather events.”
”The
world’s poor, though least responsible for climate change, are most vulnerable
and already suffering its impact,” he said.
Citing
last year’s controversial encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si,” the
pontiff said “for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land,
its air, and its life “these are sins.”
He
added that “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against
ourselves and a sin against God”
On April 26, 2004 I photographed this American Flag that was created by the art students at Red Rock Job Corps and was eventually gifted to US Senator Bob Casey's office in Philadelphia. This flag was created and displayed first in Dushore on flag day back in that time frame. Later it appeared in the office of US Senator Santorum whose office reps had submitted a nomination for myself and the art program at RRJCC for the "National Medal of Arts" which we were not awarded just nominated by them. Our regional Job Corps art was being featured in Olde City Philadelphia at the Nexus art gallery for several years and was noticed by the senator's office staff which lead to the nomination and later a display of our art in the Capitol Rotunda in DC in 1997. When Bob Casey defeated Santorum we moved the flag to his office.
I am in contact with Senator Casey for several reasons but also to see if the flag is still in his office.
