​I am happy to be surrounded in my daily life by many artists that are my friends, not only visual artists but actors, writers, singers and musicians, who so very often have inspired my work.

In the case of “The Singer” the inspiration comes from my good friend Arlyn Wolters. She is blessed with a wonderful voice that can be as soft as the petal of a rose, as strong and powerful as a storm and all the dynamics and colors in between.

I believe a right song sang by the right voice can elevate the vibration of the listener, as does the old masters paintings on the spirit of the viewer. It was for me very easy to be inspired to explore this concept with the beautiful face, wonderful voice and creative talent of Arlyn.

​This work was built during the Halloween season and found much influence from sentiments surrounding the holiday. The result was a ghoulish “monster” of sorts.

In this psychologically bed headed portrait, a creature sets in a trance; his eyes devolved and vestigal, his third eye open but hardened and in the form of the third eye of the character, Madara from the Naruto Shippuden anime series. Whereas typically the third eye opens into greater awareness, this third eye Madara used to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, which created a completely delusional dream world. The result is an awareness existing in corporeal introspection. The creature’s mind sprouts, on the left side, an emerging face, grinning. To the right side of the head, red tentacles and fingers intertwine–a collaboration of invertebrate and vertebrate consciousness cooperatively handling paint brushes of the sort used to build the art work itself. The neck and throat bristle with random thorns, as from a rose or the upper portions of a beak sprouting from its flesh. The neck itself disassociates into layers of membranous material, terminating upon an abstracted base of convoluted forms composing its body.

The nose is virtually non existent, more a sinus reiterative of the shape of the third eye. Set against the exposed teeth peering out of the thick, meaty cheeks, a skeleton like impression results. This impression sets behind a visceral set of lips and tongue, which is the creature’s prime seat of awareness. Sensual, organic, the tongue organ hangs, meaty, and with consciousness of a sea cucumber. It illuminates at the tip, drawing the attraction of a nearby moth–with mystery of purpose.