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This is the first image I completed in the new year--finishing it around 9am on New Year's Day, no less. Thinking of our split lives and how we counter them with new promises and resolutions. The brushstrokes of this images went on very wet and so have a very fresh, clean feel. Nice texture.

Hopefully the image speaks for itself, so here's a little on process: As I think of icons I recall the use of gold leaf and other metalic mediums for part of their effect. In this case I used a combination of mediums, iridescent paint, & high gloss resins to create a very active surface. Additionally I drew from the "royal" colors of purple and gold to symbolize the "kingship" of this crown.

Portal, 48 x 48 Acrylic on Canvas, pulls from the Zen tradition and it's affair with the simple circle as a symbol of the empty centeredness of awakening. This is part of my series Contemporary Icons.

A new, 44 x 44 Acrylic on canvas that take the abstraction of landscape about as far as I have ever taken it. Thinking of the prairie burns that occur in the midwestern spring.

Another in my new series, Contemporary Icons. I am enamored by black circles on red. This particular images tries to strike a balance between the Zen circle and the Christian crown of thorns. Both such powerful images.

Many people often ask me about the process of creating artwork. In fact, the most FAQ regarding artwork is "so, how long did that take you to paint"? In an earlier blog I point out the complications of answering such a questions. Click HERE to read that installment. This blog is simply visual. This is the visual journey of creating a new abstract work: 40" x 40" Acrylic on Canvas.

First, I begin by creating a study--in this case, a 10 x 10 acrylic on panel.

Step One: Determine the primary hirzontal line:

Step Two: Block in Underpainting

Step Three: Differentiate the coloring / add warm tones

Step Four: Begin differentiating brushstrokes & filling in gaps in coverage.

Step Five: Work details, adjust color tempurture, tease out the more interesting interactions.

This painting was completed mostly with Golden Fluid Acrylics, which I enjoy for their quick applications and fast drying times.

A new, 24 x 24 acrylic on canvas image that builds on my work with light and sky as well as spiritual imagery. This image possesses a dream-like quality that comes during meditation.

I have been working on a new series for a number of weeks that I am refering to as "Contemporary Icons". In this series I have been tackling spiritual themes by focusing on three primary symbols: circle, crown of thorns and the cross. I believe that I have a long way to go with this series and here is why. Since they are "contemporary" in nature, I am trying to use mark making that is energetic, aesthetically appealing, but also spontaneous.  However, I do not want these themes to seem degraded, or in anyway used as "gimics". These pieces are meant to be both visually appealing but also spiritually startling; initiating reflection, contemplation. Reproductions of this series are tough as I want people to be up close and personal, touching them and seeing the depths of color and texture. I have included a detail of "Crown", which is a 36 x 36 acrylic on canvas so the viewer can take in the various levels of mark making that went in to this painting.

Rob

A blend of contemporary image making and spiritual symbolism--in particular the circle (eternity) and cross (sacrifice).