After Bolivia: First Series 1973-1977

Upon graduation from college in 1973, my room mate and I boarded a bus in Tijuana, Mexico and traveled by land to Cochabamba, Bolivia. Works before this journey have negative numbers. After, positive numbers. Numbers in brackets are from 2010 UCB/ECAI catalog count.

Paintings 1-77, [NF 5a-m.] are the first group paintings, drawings and prints cohesive in style and theme after a group of student works in which the elements of 6 years college study of English Literature and Studio Arts, several drawings, paintings, prints, and sculptures coalesced in such a way as to indicate I was ready to continue on my own artistically. ‘Due to training under Abstract Expressionist masters, and because of Abstract Expressionist interface of religious and aesthetic methodology to develop one’s intuition and reach the unconscious, some Abstract Expressionist tenets remain viable and a pertinent vehicle for the research and intentions of the NEPSIS FOUNDATION project.’ Also compare to the poems by the artist from this period.

The main formal elements here are the amorphic color and space in counterpoint relationship with hardedge, linear and geometric embellishments. It is about the relationship between the general context of being and specific experience as open and luminous. At a certain point, latter day works in this series replace ‘hardedge, linear and geometric embellishments’ with the human figure. The basic counterpoint remains for a time.

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Macros I

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Two Become One

TWO-III (Magic / Upsidedown)

TWO-IV RISING

TWO. RISING STILL

Two Become One

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FIRST SERIES: SAN FRANCISQUITO CANYON, S. CALIFORNIA. About 100 Paintings and Drawings. SEE ESP. CAPTIONS #8 & 9 [6 & 7]. THESE CAPTIONS HOLD FOR MOST THIS FIRST SERIES. Though these 100+ art works (including variations and latter-day throwbacks, etc.) depend upon a counter point between large, amorphic color forms and space with hard edge, geometric embellishments, the over all collection starts with snowscapes and small landscapes. Soon jet trails impressed the artist and thus begins this series that followed several years of nature and life studies.

16 [13.33] Ideas About Pyramids And The Trinity

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Snowscape

Snowscape II

Snowscape

Landscape Alfalfa Field

Landscape Sunset

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Horses

Untitled Turpentine Wash on Cut Paper

Totem

Aquafirs

Untitled Turpentine Wash on Cut Paper

Turpentine Wash on Cut Paper

Turpentine Wash on Cut Paper 17” x 11.5” 1974. Amorphic color and space in counterpoint relationship with hardedge, linear and geometric embellishments.