Exploration in oil painting and charcoal drawing
Abstract
The series of charcoal drawings stands on its own, but its original function was to promote rapid growth and change in a medium that is both facile and was new to me. These works enabled me to return to painting at a different point from which I departed. The new paintings suggest a maturation of ideas as well as formal ability that resulted from the charcoal drawings. The content of the most recent work evinces my current personal and academic interests in relationships among men, homophobia, and the redefinition of masculinity. The work of John Stoltenberg, Refusing to be a Man, as well as the work of feminist writers has been informative and inspirational in this process. Literary sources, experiences in my personal life, and the work itself are crucial to the evolution of my artistic vision. My paintings and drawings serve as working spaces in which to explore questions rather than articulate answers.