Swissdale Moth

“Swissdale Moth”

I love painting in natural light, but I have always been a night painter. “Swissdale Moth” was painted in the summer, primarily at night when the moths storm my studio windows, attracted by the lights. The figure is stripped down to their underwear and stands in water surrounded by idiots as fire burns in the hills. No one seems to be in danger, but the mood is ominous and surreal. Like with all of these works, the paint is as much of the story as any actual depiction. The small size allows me to indulge in the lusciousness of oil and to be able to turn the trajectory of the painting on its head with a few sure strokes.