The Godzilla Series (1994 -2026)
My interest in fictional monsters began in the 1960s by watching early horror and science fiction films. I was fascinated by how they imbued their horrific creations with human emotions and often explored socio-political themes. Many years later I acquired a 14 inch vinyl model of Godzilla complete with moveable head, arms and tail. Little did I know it would eventually become a model and muse.
I am also interested in 18 and 19 century "romantic" landscape painting and how it has been used to advance theological and ideological agendas. I was particularly drawn to 19th century painters associated with Hudson River school and 18th century artist Caspar David Friedrich.
My first paintings in this series explored Friedrich's compositional strategies and Thomas Cole's and Frederic Edwin Church's atmospheric techniques and color by working directly from reproductions of their work. I later included Godzilla into the composition asking the viewer to consider the relationship between two seemingly oppositional subjects.. The largest and most successful painting titled "Godzilla Above The Clouds at Sunrise"(2006) was based on Frederic Edwin Church's painting titled "Above the Clouds at Sunrise"(1849).
Early work explored the connection between Church, Friedrich and Cole's depiction of a romanticized world and the mythology of Godzilla as a modern force intruding upon the landscape. Newer work continues to employ Godzilla as a vehicle for exploring an existential awareness of life from the transcendent to the banal
All work was completed in either traditional or water-based oil on wood or canvas.
