Tower of Babel with Monster Kudzu (with Tamiko Thiel)

This was a little collaboration with Tamiko Thiel. I was showing her how the Leonardo.Ai interface worked, so I put in a Tower of Babel and an airship (which are themes I use quite a lot), & she suggested incorporating kudzu, which is apparently an invasive vine that has taken over parts of the southern US, & is a huge problem. So, that added another element entirely to the piece. BTW, Tamiko is a very accomplished XR artist, you should check out her web site.

Tower of Babel with Monster Kudzu, Ayton & Thiel, AI co-generated, 2024

Battle for Babel AI series

 Leonardo.Ai did a rather good job of creating these epic images of the Tower of Babel in flames. As you may know, I've depicted the tower in many pieces, but these came out very cinematically, and, as I mentioned, epic.

Battle for Babel AI #1

Battle for Babel AI #2

Battle for Babel AI #3

Battle for Babel AI #4

New Babel

This is a teaser preview of a forthcoming augmented reality (like virtual reality, but combined with actual visibly real elements and viewed via a handheld device such as a mobile phone or tablet) installation intended for Union Square Park, NYC for October 2019. More information & images to follow. Below is a simulation of the piece inserted into Google Earth 3D view. My daughter, Lizzie, created the tower (Tower of Knowledge) in Fusion 360, btw, based on my original drawing. The globe hovering (rotating) above the tower is textured with the painting we used on my wife's book, A New Global Agenda. In the final version, the tower will not have the golden texture seen below, but a painted one.

New Babel, simulation of augmented reality installation

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

A return to oil paint

It's been around 15 years since I last consistently used oil paints, so I was probably overdue to break them out again. Acrylic is easier to use, dries quicker and so on, but doesn't have the depth or subtlety of oil. Continuing on from a recent series on plywood panels where the wood grain is visible, here are some very recent works in oil on board. More to follow, no doubt.

Evocation of a Golden Summer's Day, 2018, oil on panel, 12" x 9"

The Queen in Yellow, 2018, oil on panel, 16" x 12"

The Tower of Babel from Afar, 2018, oil on panel, 9" x 12"

Babel with Tiny Lights

This one arrived somewhat unexpectedly...which is somehow the way the best images work out. One of many images of the Tower of Babel that I've done.

Babel with Tiny Lights, 2017, acrylic on board, 10" x 10".

Attack on Babel

I've recently started painting on MDF (medium density fiberboard) since I discovered 9" diameter circular (and other shapes/sizes) surfaces useful for painting made out of the stuff. Here is another Babel variation (of many) for your perusal. More paintings of this style in the pipeline, most likely.

Attack on Babel, 2016, acrylic on MDF, 9" diameter.

Attack on Babel, work-in-progress.

Tiny Babel

A miniature version of the Tower of Babel, which struck me as amusing. This took a couple of days to complete, as it went through numerous changes. I scanned this into the computer directly...I think it actually looks better in real life, but was too small for me to take a photo successfully. I have presented the piece on this page at around actual size (on my screen at least, your mileage may vary).

Tiny Babel, 2016, acrylic on plywood oval, 3.25" x 2.25" approx.

The Fall of the Tower of Babel

Another version of the Tower of Babel (I have done quite a few), this one in small tondo form. Inspired by the Pieter Breughel version, as most of my Babel images are. Painted on plywood that was only lightly primed with white acrylic, so the paint was absorbed quite fast.

The Fall of the Tower of Babel, 2016, acrylic on plywood, 6.75" diameter.

The Ruins of Babel

Here is a new painting of the Tower of Babel...I've done quite a few over the years (you can see some of them here). Also, I tried to photograph it last night, but it was too dark, so I took the underexposed image & played around with it in Photoshop (second image below).

The Ruins of Babel, 2015, acrylic on gatorboard, 14" x 11"

The Ruins of Babel, digitally modified in Photoshop

Babel From Above

This is the latest in a number of versions of the Tower of Babel that I have depicted over the years.

Babel From Above, 2014, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

The Boy Who Dreamed of Babel

Here is another painting depicting the Tower of Babel, though in this case it is relegated to a background element.

The Boy Who Dreamed of Babel, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 48" x 36".

Babel Under Clouds

A new small ink drawing of the Tower of Babel, which is a recurring theme in my work.

Babel Under Clouds, 2013, ink on paper, 8" x 6".

At the Summit of Babel

Another tondo painting, this one of the Tower of Babel.

At the Summit of Babel, 2012, acrylic on circular canvas, 12" diameter.

The Tower of Babel

Another old ink drawing of a favorite theme.

The Tower of Babel, circa 1993, brush & ink on paper, 16.5" x 11.75" approx.