Primitive Emotions
The climate of ill will created by the current administration stirs a never-ending stream of outrage and incredulity. In order to not suffer the pathology within, the three paintings in the project “Primitive Emotions” express the trauma of dealing with the assault of brain stem responses. This project is a link between the Visual Commentary and Behind the Scenes work. Specifically, Snarling Puppy is a bridge expressive of the negativity and raw aggression of this time in history and the wish to document the pathology with an artifact. All three of the paintings are oil on panel and try to make the sickness of coping with the current climate visible in a way that will expose the ugliness so it can be recognized as such when those feelings emerge in the future. Hopefully, the expression of arising affliction in these difficult times will console others that struggle with the anger being generated. Like the stitches in Behind the Scenes, the straps and staples signify the ineffective efforts to contain it. In Frightened Bunny the skin has hardened into shell and the shell itself glorified, making a point of the division. All emphasize the unnatural attachment to the surfaces and not the life force pushing from below.