jhart

drawing/painting – design/construction

symbol unites what is figurative with what is abstract – a visual vocabulary derives meaning from objects or ideas seen as symbols – anything can become a meaningful symbol within a given context – the true meaning is in the gesture of expression…and the nature of impression

my work is influenced by an interest in how ancient cultures expressed their knowledge and beliefs through myth, ritual, and their arts . . .

‘carriage’ collage with distemper on paper 30x22in

‘garden diagram’ ink on paper 12x9in

the following images are from ‘burning midnight oil’ – solo show at stan mccollum gallery ;

: ‘flowers I’ collage w distemper on panel 32x40in

: ‘flowers II’ collage w distemper on panel 32x40in

: ‘flowers III’ collage w distemper on panel 32x40in

: ‘flowers IV’ college w distemper on panel 32x40in

: ‘travelin man’ collage w distemper on panel 22x19in

some images from two recent solo shows both @stan mccollum gallery in atlanta ;

from ‘stillness in motion’ december-january 2012-13

‘a shadow does not shift . . . where the light arrives, the shadow disappears. if it exists, it would be at rest forever.’

from an ancient chinese literary tradition, the problem is that ‘the shadow of a flying bird never moves.’ the cast shadow derives its apparent motion only from the flight of the bird, and it cannot move by itself or participate in any kind of exchange of material energies. nevertheless, the shadow is a fact, and as an idea, it can have these properties and powers. the ‘flying-bird’ is the mind . . .

: ‘day and night’ diptych collage w distemper on panel 42x48in

: ‘standing’ collage w distemper on panel 48x48in

: ‘archetype’ collage w distemper on panel 22x30in

: ‘stillness in motion’ diptych (left panel only) collage w distemper on panel 72×96″

from ‘burning midnight oil’ december-january 2013-14

these paintings are meant to be an expression of mental landscape as seen by an archaeologist or a student of
history in any field of research.   as studies develop for the researcher, outlines of understanding are gradually filled
in, combining reason with imagination to create a picture with all possible completeness, and along the way
various impressions might emerge as attempts are made to imagine the existing evidence within a non-existing
context. imaginative reasoning discovers this context as it can, and thereby brings back into existence evidence of
the continuity of human cultural endeavor and, as i feel it, of the persistence of a spirit that we share.   no one, i think,
wants to inherit the wind. ancient cultures expressed their knowledge and beliefs
through myth, ritual, and their arts.    i sense that these represent their efforts to preserve something of value for future generations.