2011
Graphite on Museum Board
40 x 60”

Zephyr is a tale about the breeze. Like a telltale on a sailboat, these images guide us  — making energy from the boundless power of nature. I chose graphite as the perfect medium to weave aerodynamic wings full of energy potential with an everpresent oil sheen.

Graphite is formed by the metamorphosis of carbon sediments —  it mirrors fossil fuel. I use graphite/carbon to draw solutions to the havoc it has caused.  Graphite’s sheen is perfect for morphing layers from abstract to realistic images. 

This drawing is from my series “Surface Tension,” — a group of large-scale pieces designed to coax us into making better energy choices. Surface Tension is my reaction to the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010. I watched the endless stream of oil in horror — how could the Gulf ever recover from this?

I lived and traveled extensively aboard a small sailboat — some of the most precious times of my life. Sailing offshore demands your respect for Mother Nature. Wind, wave power, and storms make everyday problems on land petty. My sailing experience inspired these drawings.

July 4, 2023 was the hottest day recorded since 1979. Since the industrial revolution of 1880, the earth has warmed slightly more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit. This global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and farming livestock for food. 

Global warming results in frequent and more intense weather, melting of polar regions, sea water level rise, lost species, droughts, wildfires, and extreme rainfall. Alternative energy sources combine to reduce and possibly replace burning petroleum to power our lives.

The scale of this drawing demands attention. The 40 x 60-inch format dominates the wall. Multiple woven disparate images catch your curiosity and claim your time as well as your visual attention.