Nude Male
Welcome to the Dov Art Gallery. I hope you enjoy perusing my work. If you see something that you would like to have, please go to the "Purchase Dov Art" page where you can purchase prints and some originals. In most cases you will have to email me for pricing on originals
Drifting
DSC00697
Dwarfed by a Spruce 1
Dwarfed by a Spruce 2
Adam And Steve
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas. This painting is addressed to those tiresome Bible thumpers who think that this whole "gay thing" is somehow new. They are often heard to say, "In the Bible, it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". Well, folks, here they are. As long as there have been human beings, there have been gay ones. Details of this painting include the traditional snake and apple, as well as a sheep to the left, symbol of peace, a dove in the upper right, also a symbol of peace, a unicorn in the upper right on a hill, symbol of the mythological time the whole Garden of Eden story represents, and several birds.
Afterwards
apx. 24” x 34” when mounted on a wall two framed acrylics on canvas. The framing is part of the completed piece and was made by the artist with the assistance of the model. We see a post nuclear image of a broken world, a gaunt man plucking a single head of wheat. The painting must be hung askew and the wires in the back are pitched to set the correct angles.
Ahh
8" x 10" Photograph
Ah The Joys Of The Internet
And The Spirit Of God Moved Upon The Face Of The Waters
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas There is nothing gay about this painting, save that the artist is gay. The title is taken from Genesis 1:2b. We see the chaotic waters of primordial earth swirling below God. He too is swirling, but with power emanating from him in a blue aura. The sky is starless because at this point in the creation story, the stars had not yet been formed by the hand of God. The act of creation here is seen in two gestures -- the left hand, in the position of laying on of hands, the giving of the Holy Spirit, as it is The Holy Spirit in this biblical account who is depicted here. The right hand is in benediction, recognizing that all of Creation was a gift from God, a blessing.
Any Port
Apres Le Bain
8”x 16" Colored pencil on paper Neither cubism nor colored pencils are well explored roads for me. This piece plays with both in a theme I address often – After the Bath.
Are You Ready
8" x 10" Photograph
Facing It
"20"" x 16"" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward."
Asleep On
At One With One Knee
At The Other End Of The Line
Bears At Play
Bear With Bear
Beyond Endurance
Bi
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas – As my experiments with restricted palettes continue, this is the most restricted of all, raw sienna and burnt umber, and yet, on some levels it reminds me of Rembrandt, kind of Matisse meets Rembrandt, I suppose.
Blue
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas The two models for this were so much enjoying relaxing in each other’s arms, they failed to notice that I was working. In the end I asked them what they thought. Their answer is the title of the piece.
Brain Tipping To The Right
In thought, partial pic, facing right.
Bursting The Boundaries
Overall display size apx. 36" x 36" Acrylic on five small canvasses. Against the background of the gay rainbow, a nude African American male, leaps out of time and the very limitations of the canvasses themselves, refusing to be confined.
Chain
11" x 17" Manipulated Photograph – One of my favorite models has a spectacularly developed body, but alas, a life deep in the closet. So, displaying him requires careful obscuring of his real identity. In working with this photograph, the face had to go. After that, the links of a chain suggested themselves almost immediately. My partner is considering having this piece reproduced in bulk as a wall paper border for our dining room. Our children’s future in-laws should find it engaging, no doubt.
Color Etude
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas This is one of the very first pieces I produced with watercolor pencils. One thing is for sure. This model is always a great sport.
Coming Attractions
8" x 10" Photograph – Clearly he is preparing for something else, as evidenced by the other photographs of him in this collection.
Confidence
12" x 21" Charcoal on Paper. This piece was inspired by the model's haircut. The model, a member of the law enforcement community, proudly wears his haircut to display his inner strength and confidence. In preparing this pose, we sought to have his entire body exude that same level of confidence. We see that both in his confident stare and in the relaxed manner his hand rests on his hip and his arm rests on the furniture as his body assumes almost classic contraposto.
Considered
Contemplating The Music
22" x 18" Charcoal on Paper Sometimes the title just tells you what was going on in my studio at the time.
Copse But No Robbers
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas – Many of my models have requested that I find outdoor space where I could work with them. Then a friend of mine took me on a tour of his acreage and offered me unlimited use of this particular copse of trees. It’s a wonderful venue for the work.
Cuddle
In this work, we see two men totally relaxing into each other. The younger man, in particular, is almost heaven bourn in the elder man's arms. The elder is content.
Dare To Hope
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas Those less familiar with Greek mythology may mistake this piece for an angel. However, it is the story of Icarus, the son of Daedylus who imprisoned on an island, fashioned wings of feathers and wax with which to fly away and make good their escape. Daedylus warned his son to fly neither too close to the sea where the water would weigh down the wings nor too close to the sun where the heat would melt the wax, but in his ecstasy of flight, Icarus did fly too close to the sun and burst into flames, plunging to his death in the sea. The Icarus Myth is perhaps one of the most recognized stories of Western Civilization. The Ancient Greek moral of hubris, overwhelming pride, leading to destruction is the usual focus in the telling of the tale. Yet, in an era in which so many live in their secure little lives, secretly suffering in a prison of their own making, we can find greatness in a young man who throws his life away for one brief moment of exaltation, of touching and tasting the heavens. And perhaps the end of the story is the fiery descent to oblivion. But perhaps the end of the story truly is the immortality he gained in the popular imagination because for that moment he dared to become completely free.
Debut
De Profundis
Doppler Effect
Double Mint
8" x 10" Photograph An electronically manipulated image of buttocks taken from below.
The Embrace
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas. In this work, we see two male figures in an exchange of affection. There is, however, an intended spiritual meaning. The green represents the earth, as depicted in the meadow, the blue representing heaven. The work therefore speaks as well of those of us who are earth bound embracing heaven.
Enfolding
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper It’s a shame the younger model was too hyper to pose again. They were great guys to work with.
Enjoyment Of Self
8" x 10" Photograph
Etude For The Betrayal
6" x 12" Charcoal on Paper -- My paintings fall into two categories: artist inspired and model inspired. The artist inspired pieces are those in which I have a plan for a painting and then I seek out a model who will fulfill that plan. I call that “staffing the painting.” In many of those, I do preliminary sketches either with or without the model to resolve issues such as positioning, angles, and composition. Actually, many of the artist inspired pieces use no models at all. The model inspired pieces are those in which a conversation with the model reveals something extraordinary about the model’s life which I wish to capture on the canvas or in the drawing. These are probably the larger category of my works, although I have never really sat down to count them.
Etude For The Exotic
Etude In Twisted Perspective 1
20" x 16" Charcoal on Paper I began sketching him at one end and had him turn slowly as I worked my way up. The technique, which I call “twisted perspective” has led to some interesting results.
Etude Pour Apres Le Bain
13" x 15" Charcoal on Paper I actually have several paintings planned on this theme. And so the studies continue.
Facing It
20" x 16" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward.
Firebird
24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas.This piece is based on the 1910 ballet of Igor Stravinsky of the same title. One of my most cherished friends asked me, “What is happening in this picture?” Clearly, the answer to that question is ambiguous. Physiologically, if this is not a fantasy piece and he has no power to fly, he can only be in the middle of ascending to the summit of the rock or descending from it. He is in a position that is unmaintainable except for a flitting second. His hands are in a ballet gesture as is his left foot and his wings are clearly more costume than function. Is he about to take flight? Is he about to take his life? Is he about to dance in joy on the summit itself? The valley is bucolic and not one where one would expect to see such a costumed figure. Is his nudity and costume a defiance of convention? Where did he leave his clothes? This is not a piece with answers. This is meant to be a piece that provokes questions. However, in my role as just one more viewer, for me, it is ultimately about freedom. This painting takes me in new directions as an artist, somewhere between Mantegna and Dali. I have more to explore in this realm. However, in the piece, there are certain trademark features of my work – the streaky sky, the long hair, the highly textured boulder. Also, I borrowed an idea from my first non-self portrait after my marriage, “The Cigarette” in which I use sparse clothing to make the figure more naked than a true nude would be. The Cigarette was painted six years before the present piece. Much has happened artistically in the mean time. But some ideas are eternal.
Formal Attire
16” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas A painting far longer in the planning than in the execution, a comic piece, and yet an intended reference to Rembrandt.
Freedom
A celebration of male assertion of the right of beauty, depicted on the canvas in neo-impressionist technique is a man of indistinct and therefore universal ethnicity with his face turned upward, his hair flowing behind him, decorated with metal ornament. He basks in the joy of his self-proclaimed liberation.
Glow
8" x 10" Photograph
Grand Odalisque Apres Ingres
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This work is a conscious parody of the Grande Odalisque painted by Ingres in 1704. In the other work, one sees a woman reclining on a chaise longue, her head on the right, her hips and breasts voluptuously displayed, about her various oriental items. The word "Odalisque" means harem dweller. And so, the gentleman in this painting is a "kept man" as it were. In certain details, the painting is a self-portrait, most importantly with the background of books.
Grasping Perfection And Emptiness
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas Occupying a relatively small portion of an otherwise blank varnished canvas, one sees from the back a male nude in a slightly open fetal position clasping a flower. His obvious tan line and muscularity speak of a life endlessly pursuing perfection in physical beauty, echoed in the flower in his grasp. Although he casts a shadow, the space he has constructed for himself is, in the final analysis, empty.
Guarded But Curious
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – Like many of my models, curiosity is much of what it is about. However, that curiosity does not overcome a tendency to be self-protective and cautious. Everything this model had, he put into that latter attitude.
Guernica Again And Yet Again
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This work takes its title Picasso’s famous black and white piece. I have almost none of Picasso’s elements, except for the distended bodies. It is a personal reaction on my part to the Second War in Iraq.
Head Waiters Repose
Iconic Fortitude
18" x 22" Charcoal on Paper There are some models that it really does not matter how much I tell them to relax. It is not going to happen. In the case of this model, the point to which he was unable to comply with that direction became the very center point of the interest he held for me.
I Had A Vision Of The Abyss
24” x 18” Acrylic on Canvas A surrealistic mélange of images, juxtapositions, ambiguities, and religious symbols, it is a dream, the meaning of which can only be found in dreams.
In From The Field
18" x 22" (apx.) Charcoal on Paper. A relaxed nude male after a day of farming, with a slight hint of Escher in the details
In Good Taste
8" x 10" Photograph
In His Dreams
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas The title of this work has a double meaning. Initially, it refers to the sleeping posture of the subject. Indeed the model fell asleep while posing for this piece. It also refers to the observation by one of my other models who is acquainted with this model that I exaggerated one of this model's features to a degree that this model would wish were true.
Inspection
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him.
Intimacy: Passion And Aftermath
Two panels framed together, each 16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas . Painters generally refer to paintings as being self-portraits. I prefer to think of these as autobiographical. I am the figure on the left of each of the two panels. In each panel, the background reflects the mood of the character on the left and is drawn from the same color family as his depiction. 'Nuff said.
In Unity Is Hope
24" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas In this work, the intertwined bodies (modeled after myself and my partner) represent the unity of souls achieved by lovers. The rising sun represents hope.
Invitation
Laid Back
18" x 22" Charcoal on Paper This model who had years coming to terms with being bisexual, finally learned that he can relax being naked with another man.
Le D`ejeuner Sur L'herbe
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
End Of The Day
13" x 15" Charcoal on Paper Like so many of my models, getting naked at the end of the day is a prime form of relaxation.
Enfolding
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper It’s a shame the younger model was too hyper to pose again. They were great guys to work with.
Enjoyment Of Self
8" x 10" Photograph
Entirely Self Contained
Entry
8" x 10" Photograph
Étude For The Betrayal
6" x 12" Charcoal on Paper -- My paintings fall into two categories: artist inspired and model inspired. The artist inspired pieces are those in which I have a plan for a painting and then I seek out a model who will fulfill that plan. I call that “staffing the painting.” In many of those, I do preliminary sketches either with or without the model to resolve issues such as positioning, angles, and composition. Actually, many of the artist inspired pieces use no models at all. The model inspired pieces are those in which a conversation with the model reveals something extraordinary about the model’s life which I wish to capture on the canvas or in the drawing. These are probably the larger category of my works, although I have never really sat down to count them.
Etude for The Exotic 1
Etude In Twisted Perspective #1
"20"" x 16"" Charcoal on Paper I began sketching him at one end and had him turn slowly as I worked my way up. The technique, which I call “twisted perspective” has led to some interesting results."
Etude Pour Apres Le Bain
"13"" x 15"" Charcoal on Paper I actually have several paintings planned on this theme. And so the studies continue."
Facing It
"20"" x 16"" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward."
Firebird,
The" 24"" x 36"" Acrylic on Canvas.This piece is based on the 1910 ballet of Igor Stravinsky of the same title. One of my most cherished friends asked me, “What is happening in this picture?” Clearly, the answer to that question is ambiguous. Physiologically, if this is not a fantasy piece and he has no power to fly, he can only be in the middle of ascending to the summit of the rock or descending from it. He is in a position that is unmaintainable except for a flitting second. His hands are in a ballet gesture as is his left foot and his wings are clearly more costume than function. Is he about to take flight? Is he about to take his life? Is he about to dance in joy on the summit itself? The valley is bu
colic and not one where one would expect to see such a costumed figure. Is his nudity and costume a defiance of convention? Where did he leave his clothes? This is not a piece with answers. This is meant to be a piece that provokes questions. However, in my role as just one more viewer, for me, it is ultimately about freedom. This painting takes me in new directions as an artist, somewhere between Mantegna and Dali. I have more to explore in this realm. However, in the piece, there are certain trademark features of my work – the streaky sky, the long hair, the highly textured boulder. Also, I borrowed an idea from my first non-self portrait after my marriage, “The Cigarette” in which I use sparse clothing to make the figure more naked than a true nude would be. The Cigarette was painted six years before the present piece. Much has happened artistically in the mean time. But some ideas are eternal."
Formal Attire
"16” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas A painting far longer in the planning than in the execution, a comic piece, and yet an intended reference to Rembrandt."
Freedom
A celebration of male assertion of the right of beauty, depicted on the canvas in neo-impressionist technique is a man of indistinct and therefore universal ethnicity with his face turned upward, his hair flowing behind him, decorated with metal ornament. He basks in the joy of his self-proclaimed liberation.
Glow
8" x 10" Photograph
Grand Odalisque Après Ingres
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas
This work is a conscious parody of the Grande Odalisque painted by Ingres in 1704. In the other work, one sees a woman reclining on a chaise longue, her head on the right, her hips and breasts voluptuously displayed, about her various oriental items. The word "Odalisque" means harem dweller. And so, the gentleman in this painting is a "kept man" as it were. In certain details, the painting is a self-portrait, most importantly with the background of books.
Grasping Perfection And Emptiness
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas
Occupying a relatively small portion of an otherwise blank varnished canvas, one sees from the back a male nude in a slightly open fetal position clasping a flower. His obvious tan line and muscularity speak of a life endlessly pursuing perfection in physical beauty, echoed in the flower in his grasp. Although he casts a shadow, the space he has constructed for himself is, in the final analysis, empty.
uarded But Curious
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – Like many of my models, curiosity is much of what it is about. However, that curiosity does not overcome a tendency to be self-protective and cautious. Everything this model had, he put into that latter attitude.
Guernica Again And Yet Again
"36"" x 24"" Acrylic on Canvas This work takes its title Picasso’s famous black and white piece. I have almost none of Picasso’s elements, except for the distended bodies. It is a personal reaction on my part to the Second War in Iraq."
Head Waiters Repose
Hope-Blood-Turandot
Iconic Fortitude
"18"" x 22"" Charcoal on Paper There are some models that it really does not matter how much I tell them to relax. It is not going to happen. In the case of this model, the point to which he was unable to comply with that direction became the very center point of the interest he held for me."
I Had A Vision Of The Abyss
"24” x 18” Acrylic on Canvas A surrealistic mélange of images, juxtapositions, ambiguities, and religious symbols, it is a dream, the meaning of which can only be found in dreams."
I'm Not Sure About This
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – He said he’d like to model again. He never did. Perhaps the image really did capture the truth.
In From The Field
18" x 22" (apx.) Charcoal on Paper. A relaxed nude male after a day of farming, with a slight hint of Escher in the details
In Good Taste
8" x 10" Photograph
In His Dreams
"16"" x 20"" Acrylic on Canvas The title of this work has a double meaning. Initially, it refers to the sleeping posture of the subject. Indeed the model fell asleep while posing for this piece. It also refers to the observation by one of my other models who is acquainted with this model that I exaggerated one of this model's features to a degree that this model would wish were true."
Inspection
"16"" x 20"" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him."
Intimacy Passion And Afterm1
Inspection
"16"" x 20"" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him."
invitation
Invitation To Dance
Two figures explode on to the dance floor of an old fashioned ballroom in joyous celebration of movement and life.
Laid Back
"18"" x 22"" Charcoal on Paper This model who had years coming to terms with being bisexual, finally learned that he can relax being naked with another man. "
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Le Danseur Un Peu Age
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
Le Danseur Un Peu Agé
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
Les Messieurs D'Afton
36” x 48” Acrylic on Canvas (painting): By commission for a gay couple who bought a house in Afton, New York, where, they house not only themselves, but in the barn in back, their horses, we see a parody of the 1907 Picasso “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”. Picasso had five whores. Three of the whores have been transformed into two horses. The piece is full of many other details used to recall and transform the Picasso.
Measuring Reality
8" x 10" Photograph
Wilco Over And Out
Mediation Upon A New Age
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – A simple nude listening to New Age music in the background.
Midnite Debut
Pizza And Garlic Bread
Reminiscences Of Rodin
24" x 18" Charcoal on paper One of the most thoughtful and amusing models I have had the privilege to work with, I told him to get comfortable and this was the position he assumed. The more we spoke, the more apparent it was that his outer pose reflected his inner being.
Saint Sebastian, Considered
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas Saint Sebastian was a late Third Century martyr of the Christian Church. He was a soldier who earned various promotions under Emperor Diocletian of Rome, while Sebastian remained closeted as a Christian. When Sebastian came out as a Christian, Diocletian ordered him shot full of arrows. Sebastian, recovered from this and was ultimately clubbed to death. He was widely represented in Renaissance art as a nude gay man, shot full of arrows, even though this was not the ultimate cause of his death and there is no historical evidence that he was gay. However, the gay Renaissance artists were hard pressed for other opportunities to depict nude gay males in their art . On another level, I have selected this subject because of my belief that when a martyrdom is taking place, it is of great consequence for those of the same community as the martyr, but the society as a whole rolls merrily along, barely noticing the act of martyrdom. It can take centuries for the group strengthened and emboldened by the martyrdom to become the dominant culture, as in Sebastian's case. While I have little hope that gays will become the dominant Western culture, I do believe that the martyrdoms we continue to suffer in the present era, so lightly regarded by the straight community, will continue to strengthen us until that day comes when the straight community fully accepts us with the same nonchalance they assign to brown eyes. In this painting, the child with the kite represents straight society and Sebastian is the universal martyr.
The Exotic
The Singularly Appropriate
With New Ends Come New Beginning
Melancholy
18" x 24" Charcoal on Paper A sad young man posed for me one evening.
Midnite Debut
Power Fades But Does Not Vanish
Sure Beats Scranton
The First Gin and Tonic
The Soul of Caution
Power Fades But Does Not Va.
See No Evil
The Adventure
The Young Old Friend
Midnight Marauder
16" x 22" Charcoal on Paper A lonely horny man in the middle of the night sought comfort and company with an artist and nudity. He found both and I found a certain strength in him, masked by his doubts.
Niether-Ted-Nor-Alice
Power Failure
20" x 16" Acrylic on Canvas In the summer of 2003, the Northeastern United States suffered a power failure. Almost as soon as it started I got a phone call from a model who wanted to use the opportunity to pose. This piece was done entirely by candle light, although, as it turned out, I never actually lost power.
Silently Screaming
The New Age
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas My model posed for me for this painting over a video link. Actually, he and I have never met. But, once I was satisfied with his pose, he used the conferencing software to send me a still of it. This painting is rather a departure from that pose. None of the background details exist in the space where he was posing. This painting sets up a conflict between the classical and the modern. The figure in the painting has symbolically thrown away the trappings of the classical age -- his clothing, his bedding rumpled at the base of the bed, the pillows tossed on the floor, and the fire place. Instead, he kneels as a votary to the electronic age, represented by the laptop computer over which he is hunched. Indeed, he is utterly engrossed in that computer. All other space and time have disappeared for him. Above his head is a certificate he has received. It means nothing to him. The only thing that counts is what is displayed on that small screen. His pose is primal, almost apelike, as if he has regressed in evolution in front of the awesome power of this machine.
Weltschmerz
Mediation Upon A New Age
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – A simple nude listening to New Age music in the background.
Midnight Marauder
Nude on a Love Seat
Purple Nude
So Where's The Loaf Of Bread
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This painting is based on the story recounted in Genesis 18:16 -19:29. It is popularly understood that the great sin of the inhabitants of the City of Sodom was that they engaged (or wanted to engage) in gay sex. However, a closer reading of the story indicates two other sins. First, the gay sex in question was not to be consensual, but rather was to be in the form of a gang rape. Second, the rape would itself be a breach of the law of hospitality as these were strangers in the City. In ancient times hospitality was a value held in the highest esteem, as shown in the biblical story immediately preceding this, that of Abraham feeding the angels. Yet, I shall admit I derive wicked pleasure from a gay artist and a gay model working together to tell the story that has been thrown in the face of gay men to point out their alleged sinfulness. Incidentally, in order to pose the model, I had to put him in several shifts of position and composite his body parts so as to achieve that floating effect. Absent suspending him from cables, it would not be humanly possible for me to depict him as I actually saw him and achieve the effect I sought.
The Raft
Drifting
DSC00697
Dwarfed by a Spruce 1
Dwarfed by a Spruce 2
Adam And Steve
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas. This painting is addressed to those tiresome Bible thumpers who think that this whole "gay thing" is somehow new. They are often heard to say, "In the Bible, it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". Well, folks, here they are. As long as there have been human beings, there have been gay ones. Details of this painting include the traditional snake and apple, as well as a sheep to the left, symbol of peace, a dove in the upper right, also a symbol of peace, a unicorn in the upper right on a hill, symbol of the mythological time the whole Garden of Eden story represents, and several birds.
Afterwards
apx. 24” x 34” when mounted on a wall two framed acrylics on canvas. The framing is part of the completed piece and was made by the artist with the assistance of the model. We see a post nuclear image of a broken world, a gaunt man plucking a single head of wheat. The painting must be hung askew and the wires in the back are pitched to set the correct angles.
Ahh
8" x 10" Photograph
Ah The Joys Of The Internet
And The Spirit Of God Moved Upon The Face Of The Waters
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas There is nothing gay about this painting, save that the artist is gay. The title is taken from Genesis 1:2b. We see the chaotic waters of primordial earth swirling below God. He too is swirling, but with power emanating from him in a blue aura. The sky is starless because at this point in the creation story, the stars had not yet been formed by the hand of God. The act of creation here is seen in two gestures -- the left hand, in the position of laying on of hands, the giving of the Holy Spirit, as it is The Holy Spirit in this biblical account who is depicted here. The right hand is in benediction, recognizing that all of Creation was a gift from God, a blessing.
Any Port
Apres Le Bain
8”x 16" Colored pencil on paper Neither cubism nor colored pencils are well explored roads for me. This piece plays with both in a theme I address often – After the Bath.
Are You Ready
8" x 10" Photograph
Facing It
"20"" x 16"" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward."
Asleep On
At One With One Knee
At The Other End Of The Line
Bears At Play
Bear With Bear
Beyond Endurance
Bi
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas – As my experiments with restricted palettes continue, this is the most restricted of all, raw sienna and burnt umber, and yet, on some levels it reminds me of Rembrandt, kind of Matisse meets Rembrandt, I suppose.
Blue
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas The two models for this were so much enjoying relaxing in each other’s arms, they failed to notice that I was working. In the end I asked them what they thought. Their answer is the title of the piece.
Brain Tipping To The Right
In thought, partial pic, facing right.
Bursting The Boundaries
Overall display size apx. 36" x 36" Acrylic on five small canvasses. Against the background of the gay rainbow, a nude African American male, leaps out of time and the very limitations of the canvasses themselves, refusing to be confined.
Chain
11" x 17" Manipulated Photograph – One of my favorite models has a spectacularly developed body, but alas, a life deep in the closet. So, displaying him requires careful obscuring of his real identity. In working with this photograph, the face had to go. After that, the links of a chain suggested themselves almost immediately. My partner is considering having this piece reproduced in bulk as a wall paper border for our dining room. Our children’s future in-laws should find it engaging, no doubt.
Color Etude
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas This is one of the very first pieces I produced with watercolor pencils. One thing is for sure. This model is always a great sport.
Coming Attractions
8" x 10" Photograph – Clearly he is preparing for something else, as evidenced by the other photographs of him in this collection.
Confidence
12" x 21" Charcoal on Paper. This piece was inspired by the model's haircut. The model, a member of the law enforcement community, proudly wears his haircut to display his inner strength and confidence. In preparing this pose, we sought to have his entire body exude that same level of confidence. We see that both in his confident stare and in the relaxed manner his hand rests on his hip and his arm rests on the furniture as his body assumes almost classic contraposto.
Considered
Contemplating The Music
22" x 18" Charcoal on Paper Sometimes the title just tells you what was going on in my studio at the time.
Copse But No Robbers
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas – Many of my models have requested that I find outdoor space where I could work with them. Then a friend of mine took me on a tour of his acreage and offered me unlimited use of this particular copse of trees. It’s a wonderful venue for the work.
Cuddle
In this work, we see two men totally relaxing into each other. The younger man, in particular, is almost heaven bourn in the elder man's arms. The elder is content.
Dare To Hope
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas Those less familiar with Greek mythology may mistake this piece for an angel. However, it is the story of Icarus, the son of Daedylus who imprisoned on an island, fashioned wings of feathers and wax with which to fly away and make good their escape. Daedylus warned his son to fly neither too close to the sea where the water would weigh down the wings nor too close to the sun where the heat would melt the wax, but in his ecstasy of flight, Icarus did fly too close to the sun and burst into flames, plunging to his death in the sea. The Icarus Myth is perhaps one of the most recognized stories of Western Civilization. The Ancient Greek moral of hubris, overwhelming pride, leading to destruction is the usual focus in the telling of the tale. Yet, in an era in which so many live in their secure little lives, secretly suffering in a prison of their own making, we can find greatness in a young man who throws his life away for one brief moment of exaltation, of touching and tasting the heavens. And perhaps the end of the story is the fiery descent to oblivion. But perhaps the end of the story truly is the immortality he gained in the popular imagination because for that moment he dared to become completely free.
Debut
De Profundis
Doppler Effect
Double Mint
8" x 10" Photograph An electronically manipulated image of buttocks taken from below.
The Embrace
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas. In this work, we see two male figures in an exchange of affection. There is, however, an intended spiritual meaning. The green represents the earth, as depicted in the meadow, the blue representing heaven. The work therefore speaks as well of those of us who are earth bound embracing heaven.
Enfolding
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper It’s a shame the younger model was too hyper to pose again. They were great guys to work with.
Enjoyment Of Self
8" x 10" Photograph
Etude For The Betrayal
6" x 12" Charcoal on Paper -- My paintings fall into two categories: artist inspired and model inspired. The artist inspired pieces are those in which I have a plan for a painting and then I seek out a model who will fulfill that plan. I call that “staffing the painting.” In many of those, I do preliminary sketches either with or without the model to resolve issues such as positioning, angles, and composition. Actually, many of the artist inspired pieces use no models at all. The model inspired pieces are those in which a conversation with the model reveals something extraordinary about the model’s life which I wish to capture on the canvas or in the drawing. These are probably the larger category of my works, although I have never really sat down to count them.
Etude For The Exotic
Etude In Twisted Perspective 1
20" x 16" Charcoal on Paper I began sketching him at one end and had him turn slowly as I worked my way up. The technique, which I call “twisted perspective” has led to some interesting results.
Etude Pour Apres Le Bain
13" x 15" Charcoal on Paper I actually have several paintings planned on this theme. And so the studies continue.
Facing It
20" x 16" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward.
Firebird
24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas.This piece is based on the 1910 ballet of Igor Stravinsky of the same title. One of my most cherished friends asked me, “What is happening in this picture?” Clearly, the answer to that question is ambiguous. Physiologically, if this is not a fantasy piece and he has no power to fly, he can only be in the middle of ascending to the summit of the rock or descending from it. He is in a position that is unmaintainable except for a flitting second. His hands are in a ballet gesture as is his left foot and his wings are clearly more costume than function. Is he about to take flight? Is he about to take his life? Is he about to dance in joy on the summit itself? The valley is bucolic and not one where one would expect to see such a costumed figure. Is his nudity and costume a defiance of convention? Where did he leave his clothes? This is not a piece with answers. This is meant to be a piece that provokes questions. However, in my role as just one more viewer, for me, it is ultimately about freedom. This painting takes me in new directions as an artist, somewhere between Mantegna and Dali. I have more to explore in this realm. However, in the piece, there are certain trademark features of my work – the streaky sky, the long hair, the highly textured boulder. Also, I borrowed an idea from my first non-self portrait after my marriage, “The Cigarette” in which I use sparse clothing to make the figure more naked than a true nude would be. The Cigarette was painted six years before the present piece. Much has happened artistically in the mean time. But some ideas are eternal.
Formal Attire
16” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas A painting far longer in the planning than in the execution, a comic piece, and yet an intended reference to Rembrandt.
Freedom
A celebration of male assertion of the right of beauty, depicted on the canvas in neo-impressionist technique is a man of indistinct and therefore universal ethnicity with his face turned upward, his hair flowing behind him, decorated with metal ornament. He basks in the joy of his self-proclaimed liberation.
Glow
8" x 10" Photograph
Grand Odalisque Apres Ingres
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This work is a conscious parody of the Grande Odalisque painted by Ingres in 1704. In the other work, one sees a woman reclining on a chaise longue, her head on the right, her hips and breasts voluptuously displayed, about her various oriental items. The word "Odalisque" means harem dweller. And so, the gentleman in this painting is a "kept man" as it were. In certain details, the painting is a self-portrait, most importantly with the background of books.
Grasping Perfection And Emptiness
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas Occupying a relatively small portion of an otherwise blank varnished canvas, one sees from the back a male nude in a slightly open fetal position clasping a flower. His obvious tan line and muscularity speak of a life endlessly pursuing perfection in physical beauty, echoed in the flower in his grasp. Although he casts a shadow, the space he has constructed for himself is, in the final analysis, empty.
Guarded But Curious
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – Like many of my models, curiosity is much of what it is about. However, that curiosity does not overcome a tendency to be self-protective and cautious. Everything this model had, he put into that latter attitude.
Guernica Again And Yet Again
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This work takes its title Picasso’s famous black and white piece. I have almost none of Picasso’s elements, except for the distended bodies. It is a personal reaction on my part to the Second War in Iraq.
Head Waiters Repose
Iconic Fortitude
18" x 22" Charcoal on Paper There are some models that it really does not matter how much I tell them to relax. It is not going to happen. In the case of this model, the point to which he was unable to comply with that direction became the very center point of the interest he held for me.
I Had A Vision Of The Abyss
24” x 18” Acrylic on Canvas A surrealistic mélange of images, juxtapositions, ambiguities, and religious symbols, it is a dream, the meaning of which can only be found in dreams.
In From The Field
18" x 22" (apx.) Charcoal on Paper. A relaxed nude male after a day of farming, with a slight hint of Escher in the details
In Good Taste
8" x 10" Photograph
In His Dreams
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas The title of this work has a double meaning. Initially, it refers to the sleeping posture of the subject. Indeed the model fell asleep while posing for this piece. It also refers to the observation by one of my other models who is acquainted with this model that I exaggerated one of this model's features to a degree that this model would wish were true.
Inspection
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him.
Intimacy: Passion And Aftermath
Two panels framed together, each 16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas . Painters generally refer to paintings as being self-portraits. I prefer to think of these as autobiographical. I am the figure on the left of each of the two panels. In each panel, the background reflects the mood of the character on the left and is drawn from the same color family as his depiction. 'Nuff said.
In Unity Is Hope
24" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas In this work, the intertwined bodies (modeled after myself and my partner) represent the unity of souls achieved by lovers. The rising sun represents hope.
Invitation
Laid Back
18" x 22" Charcoal on Paper This model who had years coming to terms with being bisexual, finally learned that he can relax being naked with another man.
Le D`ejeuner Sur L'herbe
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
End Of The Day
13" x 15" Charcoal on Paper Like so many of my models, getting naked at the end of the day is a prime form of relaxation.
Enfolding
16" x 20" Charcoal on paper It’s a shame the younger model was too hyper to pose again. They were great guys to work with.
Enjoyment Of Self
8" x 10" Photograph
Entirely Self Contained
Entry
8" x 10" Photograph
Étude For The Betrayal
6" x 12" Charcoal on Paper -- My paintings fall into two categories: artist inspired and model inspired. The artist inspired pieces are those in which I have a plan for a painting and then I seek out a model who will fulfill that plan. I call that “staffing the painting.” In many of those, I do preliminary sketches either with or without the model to resolve issues such as positioning, angles, and composition. Actually, many of the artist inspired pieces use no models at all. The model inspired pieces are those in which a conversation with the model reveals something extraordinary about the model’s life which I wish to capture on the canvas or in the drawing. These are probably the larger category of my works, although I have never really sat down to count them.
Etude for The Exotic 1
Etude In Twisted Perspective #1
"20"" x 16"" Charcoal on Paper I began sketching him at one end and had him turn slowly as I worked my way up. The technique, which I call “twisted perspective” has led to some interesting results."
Etude Pour Apres Le Bain
"13"" x 15"" Charcoal on Paper I actually have several paintings planned on this theme. And so the studies continue."
Facing It
"20"" x 16"" Acrylic on Canvas A nude grabs hold of his own life and steps boldly forward."
Firebird,
The" 24"" x 36"" Acrylic on Canvas.This piece is based on the 1910 ballet of Igor Stravinsky of the same title. One of my most cherished friends asked me, “What is happening in this picture?” Clearly, the answer to that question is ambiguous. Physiologically, if this is not a fantasy piece and he has no power to fly, he can only be in the middle of ascending to the summit of the rock or descending from it. He is in a position that is unmaintainable except for a flitting second. His hands are in a ballet gesture as is his left foot and his wings are clearly more costume than function. Is he about to take flight? Is he about to take his life? Is he about to dance in joy on the summit itself? The valley is bu
colic and not one where one would expect to see such a costumed figure. Is his nudity and costume a defiance of convention? Where did he leave his clothes? This is not a piece with answers. This is meant to be a piece that provokes questions. However, in my role as just one more viewer, for me, it is ultimately about freedom. This painting takes me in new directions as an artist, somewhere between Mantegna and Dali. I have more to explore in this realm. However, in the piece, there are certain trademark features of my work – the streaky sky, the long hair, the highly textured boulder. Also, I borrowed an idea from my first non-self portrait after my marriage, “The Cigarette” in which I use sparse clothing to make the figure more naked than a true nude would be. The Cigarette was painted six years before the present piece. Much has happened artistically in the mean time. But some ideas are eternal."
Formal Attire
"16” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas A painting far longer in the planning than in the execution, a comic piece, and yet an intended reference to Rembrandt."
Freedom
A celebration of male assertion of the right of beauty, depicted on the canvas in neo-impressionist technique is a man of indistinct and therefore universal ethnicity with his face turned upward, his hair flowing behind him, decorated with metal ornament. He basks in the joy of his self-proclaimed liberation.
Glow
8" x 10" Photograph
Grand Odalisque Après Ingres
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas
This work is a conscious parody of the Grande Odalisque painted by Ingres in 1704. In the other work, one sees a woman reclining on a chaise longue, her head on the right, her hips and breasts voluptuously displayed, about her various oriental items. The word "Odalisque" means harem dweller. And so, the gentleman in this painting is a "kept man" as it were. In certain details, the painting is a self-portrait, most importantly with the background of books.
Grasping Perfection And Emptiness
16" x 20" Acrylic on Canvas
Occupying a relatively small portion of an otherwise blank varnished canvas, one sees from the back a male nude in a slightly open fetal position clasping a flower. His obvious tan line and muscularity speak of a life endlessly pursuing perfection in physical beauty, echoed in the flower in his grasp. Although he casts a shadow, the space he has constructed for himself is, in the final analysis, empty.
uarded But Curious
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – Like many of my models, curiosity is much of what it is about. However, that curiosity does not overcome a tendency to be self-protective and cautious. Everything this model had, he put into that latter attitude.
Guernica Again And Yet Again
"36"" x 24"" Acrylic on Canvas This work takes its title Picasso’s famous black and white piece. I have almost none of Picasso’s elements, except for the distended bodies. It is a personal reaction on my part to the Second War in Iraq."
Head Waiters Repose
Hope-Blood-Turandot
Iconic Fortitude
"18"" x 22"" Charcoal on Paper There are some models that it really does not matter how much I tell them to relax. It is not going to happen. In the case of this model, the point to which he was unable to comply with that direction became the very center point of the interest he held for me."
I Had A Vision Of The Abyss
"24” x 18” Acrylic on Canvas A surrealistic mélange of images, juxtapositions, ambiguities, and religious symbols, it is a dream, the meaning of which can only be found in dreams."
I'm Not Sure About This
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – He said he’d like to model again. He never did. Perhaps the image really did capture the truth.
In From The Field
18" x 22" (apx.) Charcoal on Paper. A relaxed nude male after a day of farming, with a slight hint of Escher in the details
In Good Taste
8" x 10" Photograph
In His Dreams
"16"" x 20"" Acrylic on Canvas The title of this work has a double meaning. Initially, it refers to the sleeping posture of the subject. Indeed the model fell asleep while posing for this piece. It also refers to the observation by one of my other models who is acquainted with this model that I exaggerated one of this model's features to a degree that this model would wish were true."
Inspection
"16"" x 20"" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him."
Intimacy Passion And Afterm1
Inspection
"16"" x 20"" Charcoal on paper The mustached model needs a really good view of what interests him."
invitation
Invitation To Dance
Two figures explode on to the dance floor of an old fashioned ballroom in joyous celebration of movement and life.
Laid Back
"18"" x 22"" Charcoal on Paper This model who had years coming to terms with being bisexual, finally learned that he can relax being naked with another man. "
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Leather Preparation
Three panels, each 16" x 20", multi-media. This work is mixed media on canvas. The three panels reside in a single frame. The basic figures are charcoal and pencil with acrylic highlights and the background in acrylic. Each panel bears its panel title. The three pieces tell a story of a young man as he prepares for a leather encounter, places himself in submission in that encounter, and cuddles his teddy bear in the warm afterglow. The model, a dabbler in leather love making, assisted me in constructing the scenario and understanding the play of emotions in his mind when he practices in leather. His is the excitement of preparing for such an encounter, the control he exercises in an ostensibly servile position, and the pride and warmth he feels in the aftermath. The stark black of the leather is therefore in each panel set off with the green of hope, pride, and optimism which are his. These works are in a private collection in Montreal and are unavailable for sale.
Le Danseur Un Peu Age
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
Le Danseur Un Peu Agé
14" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – This is the same model as for “Soul of the Dancer” and is a middle aged gentleman whose carriage and demeanor remain those of a young danseur.
Les Messieurs D'Afton
36” x 48” Acrylic on Canvas (painting): By commission for a gay couple who bought a house in Afton, New York, where, they house not only themselves, but in the barn in back, their horses, we see a parody of the 1907 Picasso “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”. Picasso had five whores. Three of the whores have been transformed into two horses. The piece is full of many other details used to recall and transform the Picasso.
Measuring Reality
8" x 10" Photograph
Wilco Over And Out
Mediation Upon A New Age
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – A simple nude listening to New Age music in the background.
Midnite Debut
Pizza And Garlic Bread
Reminiscences Of Rodin
24" x 18" Charcoal on paper One of the most thoughtful and amusing models I have had the privilege to work with, I told him to get comfortable and this was the position he assumed. The more we spoke, the more apparent it was that his outer pose reflected his inner being.
Saint Sebastian, Considered
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas Saint Sebastian was a late Third Century martyr of the Christian Church. He was a soldier who earned various promotions under Emperor Diocletian of Rome, while Sebastian remained closeted as a Christian. When Sebastian came out as a Christian, Diocletian ordered him shot full of arrows. Sebastian, recovered from this and was ultimately clubbed to death. He was widely represented in Renaissance art as a nude gay man, shot full of arrows, even though this was not the ultimate cause of his death and there is no historical evidence that he was gay. However, the gay Renaissance artists were hard pressed for other opportunities to depict nude gay males in their art . On another level, I have selected this subject because of my belief that when a martyrdom is taking place, it is of great consequence for those of the same community as the martyr, but the society as a whole rolls merrily along, barely noticing the act of martyrdom. It can take centuries for the group strengthened and emboldened by the martyrdom to become the dominant culture, as in Sebastian's case. While I have little hope that gays will become the dominant Western culture, I do believe that the martyrdoms we continue to suffer in the present era, so lightly regarded by the straight community, will continue to strengthen us until that day comes when the straight community fully accepts us with the same nonchalance they assign to brown eyes. In this painting, the child with the kite represents straight society and Sebastian is the universal martyr.
The Exotic
The Singularly Appropriate
With New Ends Come New Beginning
Melancholy
18" x 24" Charcoal on Paper A sad young man posed for me one evening.
Midnite Debut
Power Fades But Does Not Vanish
Sure Beats Scranton
The First Gin and Tonic
The Soul of Caution
Power Fades But Does Not Va.
See No Evil
The Adventure
The Young Old Friend
Midnight Marauder
16" x 22" Charcoal on Paper A lonely horny man in the middle of the night sought comfort and company with an artist and nudity. He found both and I found a certain strength in him, masked by his doubts.
Niether-Ted-Nor-Alice
Power Failure
20" x 16" Acrylic on Canvas In the summer of 2003, the Northeastern United States suffered a power failure. Almost as soon as it started I got a phone call from a model who wanted to use the opportunity to pose. This piece was done entirely by candle light, although, as it turned out, I never actually lost power.
Silently Screaming
The New Age
24" x 18" Acrylic on Canvas My model posed for me for this painting over a video link. Actually, he and I have never met. But, once I was satisfied with his pose, he used the conferencing software to send me a still of it. This painting is rather a departure from that pose. None of the background details exist in the space where he was posing. This painting sets up a conflict between the classical and the modern. The figure in the painting has symbolically thrown away the trappings of the classical age -- his clothing, his bedding rumpled at the base of the bed, the pillows tossed on the floor, and the fire place. Instead, he kneels as a votary to the electronic age, represented by the laptop computer over which he is hunched. Indeed, he is utterly engrossed in that computer. All other space and time have disappeared for him. Above his head is a certificate he has received. It means nothing to him. The only thing that counts is what is displayed on that small screen. His pose is primal, almost apelike, as if he has regressed in evolution in front of the awesome power of this machine.
Weltschmerz
Mediation Upon A New Age
16" x 20" Charcoal on Paper – A simple nude listening to New Age music in the background.
Midnight Marauder
Nude on a Love Seat
Purple Nude
So Where's The Loaf Of Bread
36" x 24" Acrylic on Canvas This painting is based on the story recounted in Genesis 18:16 -19:29. It is popularly understood that the great sin of the inhabitants of the City of Sodom was that they engaged (or wanted to engage) in gay sex. However, a closer reading of the story indicates two other sins. First, the gay sex in question was not to be consensual, but rather was to be in the form of a gang rape. Second, the rape would itself be a breach of the law of hospitality as these were strangers in the City. In ancient times hospitality was a value held in the highest esteem, as shown in the biblical story immediately preceding this, that of Abraham feeding the angels. Yet, I shall admit I derive wicked pleasure from a gay artist and a gay model working together to tell the story that has been thrown in the face of gay men to point out their alleged sinfulness. Incidentally, in order to pose the model, I had to put him in several shifts of position and composite his body parts so as to achieve that floating effect. Absent suspending him from cables, it would not be humanly possible for me to depict him as I actually saw him and achieve the effect I sought.
The Raft
