Over the course of the past 30 years of being involved with the computer to generate my work, I have begun to understand how to use it to satisfy my other artistic ambitions. The pieces shown here are representative of some of those better efforts. The process is enjoyable for me because I can use a stylus and tablet to transfer thoughts from my hand directly to the computer without the mess of paints, rags and other chemicals. My interest in music and golf has led to a number of interesting ideas and creations.
Enlargements of all pieces are available on the Shop page.
The Masters – Amen Corner
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 24” x 36” unframed
The Masters in Augusta is a spectacular setting for a golf course. Serious elevations changes, perfectly manicured grounds, friendly staff and cheap pimento cheese sandwiches.
Amen Corner is a stretch of 3 holes on the back 9 that can hold the fate of the contenders in the final round. This view is standing in the middle of the 13th fairway looking back at the tee with the 12th green to the left behind the trees.
The Masters – Pro Golf Bags
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 24” x 36” unframed
The Masters tournament invites the premier professional and amateur golfers from around the world. Watching the players warm up at the practice range, I was impressed with the designs and graphics of their golf bags. They seemed to me to be modern weapons akin to the swords and shields used by ancient knights and gladiators.
The Kayak Queen
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 24” x 36” unframed
This piece is a composite painting over images accumulated over quite a few kayak trips in the Sarasota area. We have seen a good bit of water, mangroves, palm trees, eagles, roseate spoonbills, white pelicans, many types of wading birds, and on one particularly auspicious trip, lots and lots of alligators. Kris enjoys the outdoors and I tried to place her in the environment she has been a part of all her life as a native Floridian.
White Pelican Flock
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 20” x 60” unframed
Pine Island Sound on the West Coast of Florida is the home to huge numbers of white pelicans during the winter months. They are beautiful birds with their contrasting white bodies, black wing tips and yellow bills and feet. We were out fishing and our boat roused a huge flock of them. They formed a large spiral as they climbed up from the flat they had been standing on.
White Pelican Trio
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 11” x 14” unframed
These white pelicans were part of the flock we rousted in Pine Island, rearranged into a soaring trio.
Welcome to Green Bay
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 24” x 48” unframed
Kris and I were on a road trip a few years ago, travelling from Kohler, Wisconsin to Duluth, Minnesota. Just before we got to Green Bay, a massive cold front grew ahead of us blotting out the sky, and ultimately dousing us with tremendous rain storms. We never did get to see Green Bay because the heavy rain completely obscured our view.
Lake House
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 24” x 36” unframed
This is a New Jersey house. A few years ago I rediscovered the original hand drawn construction documents and decided to interpret them with my current architectural software. The house was placed perpendicular to the shoreline of a small lake allowing the public living areas to hang out over the water and the more private areas to be set back into a very densely wooded area. The center 3 story entrance is a heat sink with a greenhouse-type enclosure and a solid rock stairway leading up to the main living area. It faced south to take advantage of the winter sun and heats the whole house.
Building a Major Scale
Digital print on paper suitable for mounting 18” x 24” unframed
The action on my 1923 Steinway Model M piano was replaced in 2010. When all the old hammers, arms and other mechanisms were taken out I asked Karl Roeder, a Steinway trained piano technician, to leave all the parts with me. I didn’t know what I was going to do with them, but they were very interesting sculpturally.
I digitized them into my computer and started playing around with different combinations and arrangements. One day I realized that in the computer they could be any size I wanted, so I started inserting people and machinery with the parts. The final design derives its name from the musical intervals in a major scale. I used these intervals to space the parts horizontally and vertically, then inserted the whole works on a golf course at Reynolds Plantation in Georgia.
Steinway
Digital prints on paper suitable for mounting 15” x 15” or 11″ x 17″ unframed
Ah, the Steinway piano. Such a beautiful instrument, such a wonderful range of sounds. This work of art has fascinated me since I saw the guts torn out of mine and replaced with new innards. In these sketches I tried to capture the complexity of the mechanisms, the assembly of so many hand-built parts and pieces, heavy cast iron parts and specially shaped sound board, pin blocks, strings, hammers and keys.
Personal Painting
The following pieces are examples of some personal work that I have done in the past few years. They are not for sale but are included for your enjoyment as representations of ideas presented and executed for specific purposes.
Digital print 24” x 36”
My friend Tom Reilly has a tradition of having a picture or painting done of each home he has lived in. He commissioned me to do one for him of the house he had just moved into in our community. I was inspired by the creations of children. When asked to draw a picture of their house, the parts and pieces are all usually there, arranged by importance, but they aren’t necessarily arranged with a sense of proportion or physical reality.
For G. A.
Mixed media digital print for CD jewel case inserts
Mixed media digital print for CD jewel case insertsMy dear friend Gabriel Ayick passed away in 2013. His younger brother, Jazz trumpeter Paul, asked me to join with him to create an album in Gabe’s memory. He composed and played the music and I created the CD covers and assembled old photos and the liner notes. We are both proud to have known Gabe and hope this tribute holds up to his strength of character.
The Orion Trio
Digital prints – size varies
My brother Tom is a professional pianist, classical by training but with a major interest and specialization in jazz. He formed The Orion Trio when he was living in The Villages, and over the years I have done posters for the Trio and their guests for concerts and special events that they have done.
ATM Insertions
Over the past 30 years I have become something of an expert with the design and installation of bank ATM machines, working for major national banks and ATM riggers and installers. Building 3D models in the computer has allowed me the freedom to put them just about anywhere I choose.
These images use photos I have taken and impose the ATMs in somewhat awkward but possibly handy locations in the environment. Some became Christmas cards over the years.