Symbols

Q          Is the imagery in your paintings as symbolic
as it appears? Do you mean the images to represent something and how do you decide what items to use? To what extent
is symbolism a factor in your work? Is there a deliberate use
of symbolism in your pictures, and if so, what the heck does
it all mean? 

A          I'm not using any specific system or set of symbols. Sometimes I borrow imagery that is symbolic in its original context, but in my painting is used as itself and nothing more.
             I choose the things in my pictures by collecting images from my own photographs and sketches, and arranging them together until they look right. Like B.B. King said, "I bend the string until it sounds good."
             This method is a bit like a word-association game, or something the Surrealists might have used to trigger thought directly, without being controlled by active reason. The results are unexpected and very interesting to me. Since I'm shuffling actual elements from my life and imagination, it feels like I'm pulling something out of my head that was buried and hiding.
             There may be things in my pictures that turn out
to be stand-ins for something else; but sometimes a cigar
is just a cigar.

Q          Your paintings appear to be full of symbols and seem to tell stories, what is this story and is it a common thread running though all your work?

A          The common thread is it's all stuff I see and experience filtered through my head. Often I work on pictures in groups,
so my state of mind at that particular time may give them a connected look. Also there are certain types of images I like
that I will use in more than one picture. Seeing my work all together may give the impression of a thread, but it is not
done consciously.

Q          How do people respond to the symbolism in your images? Do they add their own meaning or feel the need for you to explain them?

A          I think most people must supply their own interpretations because only a few ask directly.

Autobiography | Dreams | Surrealism | Symbols | Process
Materials | Subjects | Stuckism | Stories | Style | Inspiration
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