The Application

Using contemporary art and ideas as a reference, I am beginning to create more thought provoking, "deep" pieces that focus on concepts rather than aesthetic as I've mentioned already. The first of these paintings is one entitled "Franchise" that I did over Christmas Break.

I chose to tackle the concept of obesity in this painting. The McDonald's doll represents the stronghold that fast food franchises have over our nation's youth. The female figure trapped in the gum ball machine is helpless while a single hand reaches to free her. This is the hand of our future generations.

Although I believed the composition to be somewhat of a break through in my work, it was not well accepted by the average viewer. However, I did not give up on the conceptual injection that I intended to administer to my still life paintings.








I went back to the drawing board and began to think of more specific topics to cover. The result was in two new paintings. One is currently at the judging for the Governor's Youth Art Exhibition (unphotographed) and the other, titled "Innovate", I did last week.

 This piece was done through a process of acrylic washes and graphite/prisma color application through layers. The end result was something revolutionary compared to what I have done in the past.

 The idea behind this work is similar to the conceptual nature of Julio Reyes' pieces. I tackled the negative aspects of industrialization through this composition in a way that concentrated on innovation in our nation. The pipe wrench clamping down on the light bulb is symbolic of how massive factories and expansive power lines compress and restrict innovation by causing more trouble than progress.

This piece is in the final stages of completion and the details have yet to be accentuated, but I am looking forward to broadening my portfolio with more conceptual compositions such as this one.

Not only was Julio Reyes an inspiration during the conception of this work, but also, Alan Magee directly influenced my thought process.
Magee is highly realistic, yet just as with all my other influences, he maintains a certain warmth to his pieces that separates it from photo realism into a category of its own.






Alan Magee chooses the simple objects and instead of complicating the composition, he typically has one object or a set of multiples with an undetermined focal point. They are nondescript in the way they are set up, yet they leave the viewer completely satisfied by the pureness of detail that he achieves in nothing more than acrylic on panel.