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Collaborations with Collectors
Artist's note:
The works featured on this page are—strictly speaking—commissions, but my collectors have always granted me such a great degree of artistic freedom that I've often thought of them as exciting, rewarding collaborations; the fruits of in-depth conversations, along with the collector's prompts of theme and subject matter
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(This page is currently under construction, and will be frequently updated with additional text and examples)
To have a conversation about your proposed commission, contact the artist
IndecisionThe right panel of "Indecision" was painted as a stand-alone work, and it was purchased by collector who proposed pairing it with a female nude to create a diptych—I loved the idea (why didn’t I think of it myself?) and happily obliged | The Idea (Self-Portrait)I had had no previous contact with this collector when he wrote me in early 2021 to tell me he had been a fan of my self-portraits for many years, and he offered me the opportunity to paint one for his collection, on a somewhat larger scale than I usually might... his only request was that it be a self-portrait that spoke of where I found myself in 2021, my Covid-era state of mind and physical appearance (note the long hair), and my then-current preferred techniques and aesthetic | T.C. in the BarnT is a long-time collector of my work (since at least 2006) who owns many of my grisaille drawings (among other works), and he asked to be drawn by me... I loved the result, I think it's one of my more sensitive, evocative drawings | The Bird Family's ReunionLike me, my long-time collector Mark shares his home with parrots; this composition was worked out with the aid of photographs of his brood, past and present, and many stories shared of their individual personalities… I struggled with the composition for a time, until I hit upon the idea of giving it a kind of “Toy Story” vibe—when the humans are away, the birds come out to play | Bob Dylan, PainterI’m a Bob Dylan fan myself (who isn’t?) but would have been unlikely to have conceived of a Dylan tribute, left to my own devices… this piece is a perfect example of what I mean when I say that my commissioned works are really collaborations. The collector owns a great many of my works, and also collects Bob Dylan’s art… it’s always fun to see my work and Dylan’s hanging side-by-side in his home | The CornerMy “Museum Series” paintings, like all of my work, have been painted on a relatively intimate scale, rarely exceeding 16 by 20 inches… a very fine, supportive and encouraging collector approached me with a proposal that I might create a composition on a much larger scale, and “The Corner” was the result at 24 by 36 inches… other than that it might be centered on Picasso’s “Guernica” and the larger scale, the collector asked for few specifics | Keath and HomerThis is a favorite portrait commission, and one I was honored to be asked to paint—Homer was in his early nineties, a proud WW2 veteran, and unfortunately very ill when I was painting this picture, but he was able to see the completed work in person before he passed away. I was told that he liked it very much, particularly my treatment of the sky, that might call to mind a glorious American flag, the flag he so proudly defended | |
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Hide and Seek (for Keith Haring)Sometimes, a collector will approach me to do a commissioned variant of an existing work of mine they’ve admired, as in this case (the first version was painted in 2013); if I feel I can add something new—rather than merely replicating the original—in a way that moves my work forward, I’ll agree. I made many changes in this version of “Hide and Seek”… I love both versions and I feel they can happily coexist, each makes the other more interesting | Don't be AfraidMaybe my all-time favorite commission—a portrait of a collector of my work who became a dear friend, the late Doris David, and her husband Elliot, who predeceased her. A kind of still-life featuring various elements that symbolize their long, happy marriage, the work owes something to the aesthetic of my "Museum Series”, Doris’s favorites. Doris shared with me that she sometimes felt her late husband’s presence, and this is such a moment… Doris glimpses him comforting her in the mirror | What a Piece of Work is a Man!This piece was a true 50/50 collaboration… my long-time collector Michael, who I’ve had a wonderfully rewarding working relationship with, had been discussing commissioning one of my paintings on a palette for some time… eventually he proposed a composition including the angel (after British painter Solomon Joseph Solomon [1860–1927]), the “Blue Marble” image of the Earth, and an inscripton from Hamlet… I was excited by the challenge and happily set about to bring Michael’s vision to life | NarcissusThis collector’s encyclopedic knowledge of art history and design vastly exceeds my own, and I’ve often consulted him for insights and advice… among his vast collection of art objects are many fine antique frames, and on several occasions he’s asked me to paint a master study to compliment a favorite… I think of myself as a lifelong student, and I’ve never ‘grown out’ of the practice of making master studies, I love to make them… this is a study after a 1881 work by Gyula Benczúr | Still-Life with Acoma PotteryCombining a blanket with an Acoma motif and Acoma pottery from my long-time collector and friend David’s collection, along with a framed photograph of nudes emblazoned with with body paint, in a still-life composition was the fascinating challenge David presented to me… I strived to create an all-over compositional pattern, enriched by careful attention to subtle variations of color and texture… the ‘photograph’ is my invention, adapted from a 19th century photograph by Wilhelm Von Gloeden | Keep CalmThe painting “Keep Calm” wasn’t commissioned, but after it was purchased from my website the collector commissioned me to make the frame, giving me free rein to expand upon the work rather than merely ‘framing’ it… I built a float-style frame, designed the repeating motif that echoes the graffiti figures on the subway car, and hand-painted it with faux gilding… the result is simultaneously contemporary and ‘old world’, I think, and it’s one of my favorites | ||
The WondererMy friend and collector Clay, who sadly passed away in 2022 after a brief illness, loved the ‘universe’ of my Tub Series paintings and wanted to see himself within that universe, so he proposed that he would be the model for this commissioned painting… Clay lived thousands of miles away from my studio in Maine, so he hired a professional photographer to provide me with a variety of poses to select from, with the dramatic lighting I prefer… the result might be my favorite of the Tubs |
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