Artist's Statement

I have always felt a close connection with nature.  My summers growing up in rural Pennsylvania were spent outside, often climbing trees, especially a large cherry tree on my parent's property. 

Living in Philadelphia and Manhattan, with their sleek concrete structures, crowded sidewalks and cavernous streets; gave me an even greater appreciation for the outdoors and the interaction of the sky with the horizon.  One day in the spring of 2001 walking through Central Park, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of dozens of large cherry and pear trees silhouetting the path along the reservoir.  Their branches were covered with soft white blossoms and the air was filled with petals falling, gently coating the ground like a springtime “winter wonderland".   As I continued walking I came upon a number of Magnolia trees, equally striking, in full bloom behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The sheer contrast between the city streets and the beauty I saw is the inspiration for the Magnolia Series.

The first pieces of the Magnolia Series were exhibited shortly after September 11^th 2001.  In the environment of post-September 11^th New York, I chose to continue the series moving from canvas to works on paper with a bolder focus. My wife and I were looking at our lives and thinking ahead for what was to come, knowing that we could really not predict anything.  We had talked about our fears of bringing a child into this world with all of its dangers and problems.  I felt confident that there was beauty in the world and I wanted to create art that would share an appreciation for the duplicity of fear and acceptance.  Our thoughts get in the way of seeing beauty.  The Magnolia Series explores the perception of nature images, with conscious emphasis of particular patterns created by contrast, to create a non-literal analogy to a person's perception of other people, truth, and beauty.