I discovered and became a devotee of Medardo Rosso (1858-1928) when in graduate school, studying Painting and Sculpture. Last night I attended the closing reception of his works at the Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA). What a great opportunity this exhibit provided seeing one of his sculptures in person is uncommon, here were 12! Even more enlightening to me, were the 30 drawings and 55 photographs. I am fascinated with his painterly approach to sculpture. Here is an artist who was attempting to ‘dematerialise’ (his term) the sculptures he was making. Light and shade become tools as he manipulated the distinctive characteristics of cast plaster and cast wax (as well as bronze). He chose his materials with this intention that light should combine with the surface to create the form. The play of light on the surface, used to produce an effect of color, is a key element in the finished piece. His aim was to integrate the object with the atmosphere.

Because we are creatures of our society which prizes productivity so highly, we can come to judge ourselves by measuring our output and expecting that output to be consistent and constant. Such self judgement does not acknowledge the rhythm of the creative life. There are times when we draw from the well and there are times when we must refill the well. There are natural rhythms to creativity. Periods of flourish follow periods of incubation, and sometimes one must rest to allow the creative energies to resurge. We must go where we find delight and drink it into our souls, refreshing ourselves. I first learned of the concept of filling the well in Julia Cameron's book, “The Artist's Way” a book that outlines a program to overcome creative blocks.

" Art is an image-using system. In order to create, we draw from our inner well. This inner well, an artistic reservoir, is ideally like a well-stocked trout pond. We’ve got big fish, little fish, fat fish, skinny fish – an abundance of artistic fish to fry. As artists, we must realize that we have to maintain this artistic ecosystem. If we don’t give some attention to upkeep, our well is apt to become depleted, stagnant, or blocked. Any extended period of piece of work draws heavily on our artistic well... As artists we must learn to be self-nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them – to restock the trout pond, so to speak. I call this process filling the well. Filling the well involves the active pursuit of images to refresh our artistic reservoirs. " Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Do not depend on the hope of results…you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to that you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.

Thomas Merton

I am happy to announce the inclusion of two of my paintings in the new member exhibit of CWOW curated by Ebony Simpson at the Atrium Gallery of Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, NJ. April 26th - July 25th, 2015.

I will be showing "When Morning Comes" Oil on Canvas 48 x 36"

and "Squall" Oil on Canvas 36 x 48".

In both of these paintings I am using aspects and appearances from the material world to disclose an undercurrent, an inner life .