VWYELLOWPRESS

I use a wide variety of drawing and printmaking techniques to reflect upon American historical and current events in a satirical and sometimes lovingly critical way.  After creating several works based on Abraham Lincoln, I decided to create a piece of art commenting on each of the U.S. Presidents.  The idea was borne of my frustration with the current political climate, war and the desire to understand the evolution of the Imperial Presidency.

I have since broadened my view focusing on a variety of notable figures in an effort to answer, “How have we reached this point in history?” I seek to provoke the viewer by asking questions and offering perspectives. Each piece shows an individual caught in a moment of time—through the use of symbols and challenging the conventional wisdom.  A life size Abe Lincoln in a wrestling singlet, Andrew Jackson wielding a gun, John Brown looking on defiantly, James Polk as a breast feeding soldier, and Nancy and Ron on a leisurely ride through a barren desert.  I twist, torture and admire the iconography and mythology of American culture, including such topics as Puritanism, gender roles, historical memory, and regeneration through violence.