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On top of weddings, teaching photo at the Community College, and travel I have been making a new body of art work this Summer for an upcoming exhibit. “Everyday Gifts” will be on display at the Lenoir Community College Art Faculty Exhibition at the Kinston Community Council for the Arts from August 30th to September 30th. The opening reception will be Tuesday, August 30th from 6-8pm.

I have created 30 new works of art, 3 of which are large image transfers on wood and the other 27 are image transfers on clay. There will also be an installation that is viewer interactive. Here are a few sneak peak images along with my artist statement at the end. I would love to see you at the opening reception!

I need to thank my Mom for sending me the book that inspired this body of work. The book is titled “A Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp. You can check her sites out HERE and HERE.

ARTIST STATEMENT for EVERYDAY GIFTS:

This is about the most literal body of work I have ever done. It is what it is. Simple. Straightforward. Personal. Documentary. One of the roles of the artist is to document the people, places, objects and events of their surroundings. That is what I have done with “Everyday Gifts.” It isn’t a statement about how I feel about the current state of the Union, what my stance is on global warming, or even what I feel about the effects of car exhaust on the ozone layer. It is a glimpse into how I am feeling right now. At a time when I am feeling generally quite negative about the world, I worked on a creating a body of work contrary to that. I am giving thanks for what I have in this world. The following works surround areas of my life in which I am thanking God for those small things or moments I appreciate throughout my everyday life. In particular, giving thanks concerning my family, my home, my work and my physical surroundings. This body of work is not shrouded by secrecy that often comes from the mind of an eccentric artist from which you must dig and dig for meaning. It is reachable and relatable. I do not consider it ground breaking in the white wall museum sense. I do however, hope that the viewers, by looking at my everyday chunks, may reflect on whatever chunks of their life for which they may give thanks too.

This process was simple. I made a list of things for which I am thankful, then made images surrounding that list. After completing the list I observed that these things are not expensive, worldly possessions, but revolve rather around natural objects, personal symbols and simple acts of kindness from those I care about. These works are about my family who have filled my everyday life, objects that inspire and fuel my everyday life, and places that I experience or have experienced and have made an impression one way or another.