I Dreamed I Was Nine
Reflections on my childhood has been a subject on and off in my work.
The spirit of play to me is one of the most universal aspects of humanity. It doesn’t matter where we come from or what color we are or what religion we practice or of what means, when children play, it is the imagination which is foremost and the troubles of the world go away. If I can learn to tap into that magic perhaps my troubles can also be escaped from. Another new characteristic element of this work is the use of the circle. Why the Circle? The circle is as universal a symbol to children as there is. And particularly circles in motion – spinning. Think of spinning tops, found in every culture. What better shape to express play. I started creating spinning spiral forms. The spirals are based on the mathematics of nature in the form of the golden ratio of 1.618. The spirals also act as symbols of primitivism to connect me with our deepest roots as humans. The spiral form can be found in ancient cultures on different sides of the world. Some people have asked if I use software or algorithms to make them. I don't. I make them the old fashioned way by constructing them by hand and doing the math myself instead of the software doing it. Being a Baby Boomer brought up in the analog world, this ‘pre-digital’ approach connects me with my past. Letting go doing art, reconnects me to my childhood; a place where the playful quality of my work comes from. Like children, organic forms playfully interact with dots, circles, spirals and arcs. Much like the nature of childhood, everything is in motion, all is as it should be and life is good.
2009