I tend to work in series, exploring a theme for a while, then moving on to another. Months or even years later I might return to an idea and extend it further. The vessel paintings are an example. The earliest vessels date to the mid-1980’s, the most recent to a few weeks ago. For a long time I didn’t paint them at all, thinking there was nothing more to say. While working on a painting a few years ago, the vague form of one appeared– seemingly unbidden–from the random swirls of paint. Next thing I knew, I was back in the vessel painting business.

That’s the way things go these days. I’m no longer the boss of my art. I follow where the paintings seem to want to go.