Ring Paintings
The Ring Paintings are a narrative of the personal struggle that followed a long-repressed childhood memory of abuse by two female caregivers. The cycle gets its name from the indescribably horrific sound that accompanied the nightmares I had as a child following the incidents. The rings that hover ominously above the heads of the figures in Ring #1 are the nearest visual equivalent I was able to find for that sound—the sound of overwhelming powerlessness. In later paintings, the ring transforms in stages from a symbol of devastation to a symbol of hope and finally peace. While unapologetically self-absorbed in their subject matter, the act of shining light on one’s “shadows” which the work represents is ultimately one example of a template for improved living.
Much of what I seek to accomplish with my newer paintings has its roots in what I’ve learned from the Ring Paintings. They continue to be a guide in finding and developing new voices in my current work.