Greetings, friends. Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I have been enjoying a great deal of success and interest in the atomic art series. The images of the testing from Doomtown has led to an interest in popular culture imagery influenced by the bomb. It has been a nice niche for me so far, and the imagery is endless. I have been exploring a number of subjects, but two areas are standing out for so far. I have a series of snapshots that I've found that have some type of imagery relating to popular culture taken by average American citizens. I like these because there is some kind of narrative contained in each one, but we don't know for sure what it is - like a Hopper painting almost. The other aspect is atomic cinema. The obvious route here are monster created by radiation (Godzilla, Amazing Colossal Man, etc.) I have some ideas, but I want to figure out a creative spin on them. The "Sons of Atom" painting, currently on display at the National Nuclear Science Museum in Albuquerque has initiated this sequence, and I was pleased with the results.
It's a fascinating concept to me - the heavy influence of the bomb on our culture, and how, even though it was so strong 50 years ago, it's virtually non-existent today. As a college professor, I am always amazed how unaware my students are on the historical aspect of popular American culture. My frames of reference in this area are getting more and more distant as I get older. Every now and then, someone will remember Gilligan's Island or the old Batman TV show, but not very often. I like to think of this atomic series as a way to try and at least bring an awareness to folks of the way things used to be. And I guess, in that respect, I am aiming for a younger audience. I also believe the older generations can relate as well because they lived through it. To make art that is engaging and relatable on some level is a goal of mine.
I hope to continue to get more and more venues to exhibit, as it gives me encouragement to continue to produce. It's nice to be able to get out and meet a lot of the people who were involved in some of these projects.
On another note, I just got a piece of trinitite in the mail. I am anxious to figure out how I can incorporate it into a painting.
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