First Person  Series (1999-ongoing)

This series of works on paper has become an evolving visual document of the development of the self.  Each monochromatic ink-and-graphite painting begins by tracing the letter “I” from the end of a steel I-beam and results in hundreds of unique yet closely related works.

The “I” may be read as an architectural element, an abstract figure, or a self-reflexive utterance; it may morph into allusions to music, motorcars, or cosmology. The system of theme-and-variations maintains specific procedural and material constraints while accommodating and integrating new material.  New shapes, patterns, configurations and content slowly accumulate while maintaining a recognizable core.

The paintings are designed for display as installations in rectangular arrays of four or nine interrelated units. To maintain balance in the system, when any member of the installation is removed, a new sense of wholeness may require radical configuration of the parts.