Chaos is the law of the universe. All things, from the smallest quantum particles of matter to the churning galactic fires of Space, swirl in chaotic vectors which defy logic, predictability, and all attempts at mathematical analysis. I find inspiration in the chaotic patterns of Nature and pursue methods to create new versions of them. In the past I have used paint balls, soap bubbles, and fire arms. My current series “Opalescent Order” utilizes fireworks. In imitation of Nature, I capture the action and beauty of universal chaos on colored translucent films and then mold the outcome into internally lighted works of art that are mystical, psychedelic, and atmospheric. The sculptures document ephemeral dancing sparks and detonations, looking into the unseen like a high speed camera.
People have commented that I have covered a lot of ground in a short time with my presentation formats. It’s symptomatic of my love of multiple techniques and medias. I started with the vision to create sculptural mass made entirely out of light.
Thematically, I explore the nature of reality and perception. I questions our role as generators and arbiters of what may be an entirely holographic existence. In my view, everything is swirling chaos down to the atom, and the idea of order is an illusion perpetrated by our five senses. My sculptures pose an inkblot test for the viewer, exploiting the tendency of the eye to find figurative elements where none were intended, re-enforcing the idea that we regularly see things that are simply not there.
The inclusion of chaos in my work also references a philosophical viewpoint. In the context of Benoit Minot’s Darwinian pronouncement that “All life on Earth is the product of random mutation,” and the “Butterfly” corollary of Chaos Theory which states that very small acts can be transformed by chaos into huge waves of energy, my sculptures become akin to sacred stained glass- celebrations in spectral light of the universal creative force.
My surface treatment is Formalist; technique driven. Dada’s random pattern generation and Gestural Painting’s flailing also come into play. “Opalescent Order” shares a dotted, misty affinity with Impressionism, has a similar interest in Optics, and in recording a specific moment in time. My artisan-executed Abstract Expressionist forms are geometric, architectural, and marine. The new works show a continuity in theme, materials, and line with my large scale lighted sculpture suite “Constructed Chaos.”