Storm Over Spire

The Tower of Babel seems to be as good a metaphor as ever of human striving & human arrogance, which is why I've used it repeatedly in the past, so it of course makes an appearance in the Book of Revelations...(see previous posts)

Storm Over Spire, 2019, acrylic on panel, 9" diameter

New Background Image, from "Return to Babel"

I've just given my blog a makeover, including changing the template, color scheme, & putting in a new background image, excerpted from my monochrome painting, "Return to Babel" (which you can see in its original state here). I colorized the painting in Photoshop to give it a subdued greenish hue. I'm making this image (below) freely available, if anyone wants to download it for use on their own blog or desktop wallpaper or whatever (non-profit uses only, please).

From "Return to Babel", 2016, original painting on plywood, 20" x 37.5" approx.

2 old paintings: Babel & Figure in a Landscape

Unfortunately, my aunt passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. In her collection were a couple of my paintings from long ago (1978, to be precise), which I'm posting below. "Babel" is a fairly straightforward oil painting somewhat in the style of John Martin, and "Figure in a Landscape" which is heavily painted in quite thick impasto. Both are done in oil. I hadn't really thought about either of these for years, so it was surprising to see them again. The second one, I've left the bamboo frame in the photo, as it goes well with the painting.

Babel, 1978, oil on canvas, 14" x 18"

Figure in a Landscape, 1978, oil on board, 16" x 12"

Very Small Paintings

Here are a couple of very small acrylic monochrome paintings I did the other day on sample pieces of claybord (TM) that my wife picked up a while ago at an open day event at The New School in NYC. I don't usually make artworks this small, so it was a challenge to work at this scale, but it worked out pretty well. The main problem was to get a decent photo of them. The one on the left is "Tiny World Madonna" & is 4.75" tall by 2.75" wide. The other one, "Babel with 3 Small Figures" is a little bit larger at 5" x 3".

very small paintings, with red lamp base and white cup

The Wings of Time

A new painting that was difficult to photograph—the black paint, whilst appearing to be matt, tends to be quite reflective. The painting features the Tower of Babel (lower left), an angel (center, representing time) & the world (right).

The Wings of Time, 2014, acrylic on board, 14" x 11".

Before Babel Fell

Small painting of the Tower of Babel (which reminds me a little of "Mad" John Martin's work) for the Apocalyptic series)...

Before Babel Fell, 2012, acrylic on board, 9" x 12".

More double pages

Here are some new double-page spreads from the Souls sketchbook. The title of the book is becoming more and more a misnomer, as my thought processes extend far beyond the concept of the human soul, or far below, depending on your point of view. It strikes me that the images in this sketchbook could fuel my work for the next several decades, should I wish to convert them into more fully realized pieces.


Pages 113 & 114: the coming storm and the impending collapse of babel.


Pages 115 & 116: titanic.


pages 117 & 118: the final battle between good and evil and all else in between.

The sketchbook is now about 75% done.