california landscapes

2024 | acrylic & pencil on wood panel | 152.4x121.9cm | 60x48in

The California landscape paintings combine four elements: sky, sea, city & country. Collectively, the feeling of flatness is used in these pieces to represent elements that would not exist in a realistic landscape. The simplified, minimalist approach connects the contradictory aspects of up-close vs far away and elevation vs. plan (overhead) into one plane. It’s my way of capturing the idea of California.

sky | Los Angeles has an ever-evolving blue sky. When I take a walk and slow down, I often squint my eyes, and in the blue expanse, I see pockets of yellow, orange, green, and pink. At dawn and dusk, these color shifts often overwhelm the sky. From afar, many of the landscapes appear blue, but one sees dozens of colors up close.

sea | I love swimming past the break and floating on my back, taking in the views out to sea, down the coast, and back to land. I try to get out every month of the year. When the water dips below 60 degrees in the winter, the cold burns for the first few minutes, but I still go. Whatever the month, I always exit the water revived. I try not to wash my hair for as long as possible to keep the salty smell and texture. This ‘grounding’ experience centers many of the landscape paintings.

city & country | These elements are captured using geometric patterns. Whether it be the farmers or industry, we create our landscape by land modifications. The country elements are often represented with long field-like rectangles, with the cityscapes defined by layered triangles. In some works, there are no boundaries between the two features.