Subjects

Q          What themes or subjects do you explore or are you fascinated by, and why? When you paint do you use images "from life," or entirely from your imagination, or is it a combination of both? What subjects do you enjoy painting? 

A          I don't consciously pursue any particular theme, and since the imagery's real origins are somewhat mysterious, it may not be possible for me to decipher that kind of meaning until many years after a picture is made, if at all.
             My subjects are New York City and the people and places I know in it, including the fantasy life I carry around in my head. Lots of people in New York City have elaborate fantasy lives and some wear them on the outside. I mix up real things in my head before putting them on canvas, so the truth is stretched, sometimes quite a bit. New York City itself throws interesting oddballs in my path every day.

Q          What is the painting "Safe-T-Man" about? 

A          Sometimes real life drops a subject in my lap. I get these catalogs in the mail, offering the oddest things for sale. The Safe-T-Man is a real product: an inflatable man made for women, but it's not a sex toy. He's meant to be dressed up and put in the car seat next to a woman driving alone, to deter car-jackers. A photo showed how he can be stored in a handy tote bag when deflated.
              The image appealed to me and I had to make a painting. THEN, the guy who invented Safe-T-Man contacted me, and we've exchanged a few emails.

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