Artist Statement
CVI believe my work reflects the vision of an old soul. From my subject matter to my chosen process, I pay my respects to a time gone by, while trying to re-invent its relevance in this contemporary world. Using nostalgia as my foundation, my Art yearns for the days when the beauty of American design and craftsmanship was king.
My earliest influences range from the art of letterpress, typefaces, and fonts, the paintings of Stuart Davis abstracting the urban landscape of New York City in the 1920s, the graphic woodcuts of the German Expressionists from the 1940s, to my biggest inspiration- Picasso’s series of reduction linocuts from the 1950s. This unique, labor-intensive form of printing resonated with how I wanted to create Art… the old-fashioned way- through dedication to technical craft, as well as using an innate creative ability. I relish in the irony that Warhol and Ruscha became two of my subsequent favorites.
Gravitating to a hidden language of words and phrases around us everywhere, in the form of neon signs, billboards, or even magazine advertisements, seemed a natural destination. On road trips through my native California and beyond, I became fascinated by the intricate shadows cast from the aging signs of an abandoned theatre or motel at midday. Whether it’s on Broadway in the center of a thriving Downtown Los Angeles or out in the middle of Nowhere… that is where I find my Muse.
