Purchase a print of 'Turbulence'.

I found this leaf on the coldest day of the winter, walking back home with my coat pulled as tight as possible against the wind. The last few leaves from autumn were being blown about my driveway, when this one caught my eye. This leaf was twisted up into itself, as if huddling to keep warm. The pattern of the twisting leaves seemed to echo the movement of the wind that had been blowing this leaf around for months.

P.S. You should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Turbulence – an abstract of a winter leaf

I was originally worried that my leaf hunt wouldn’t be successful this year. My usual tromping grounds, like the Great Swamp, are still inundated with water because of Hurricane Irene. So I have done most of my collecting closer to home – in fact, most of it has been done walking my son to and from the school bus. And as luck would have it, I have found a lot of great leaves this way. We are only half-way through the leaf season here in Northnern New Jersey, but I already have a large box full of leaves to work from. Of course, the majority of these will be culled out, but it’s a great start and I can’t wait to start working with them.

P.S. You should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

a great year for leaves

Purchase a print of 'North Wind 1'.

The names I choose for my art all follow a certain style: short names of no more than two or three words, that are metaphorical, not literal descriptions. This method wasn’t a conscious decision at first, it just happened — my art seemed to want to be named a certain way, so I followed its lead. Since my artwork is abstract, I try to avoid the literal descriptions. I try to provide a more interpretive name, one that evokes a sense of what I feel the photograph is emotionally about, without trying to force a specific meaning on the viewer. My goal is to have the name help people see past the literal subject of the photograph (its “leafiness”) and let their minds play with the imagery.

Sometimes the name will come to me immediately: the photograph will just suggest its own name. But other times, it takes thought and work. While I was working with the photographs in this post, I was struck by the sense of motion, the feeling of the autumn wind catching a cloak or a scarf. The name “Zephyr” popped into mind, but when I looked it up, I saw that the Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, the wind of spring and early summer. Wrong image for an autumn leaf! The north wind was more appropriate, being the bringer of winter. But the Greek god for the north wind is Boreas, a name that felt too obscure, and too associated with the northern lights — wrong imagery again. So I decided to stick with the more direct translation “North Wind”. I feels it conveys the right mood and spirit for these pieces.

Purchase a print of 'North Wind 2'.

P.S. You should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

how I name my artwork

The keyboard of my old Apple II.

That computer was my first experience with unrestricted creativity: a completely blank tool that, if you were willing to work, could be molded to the whims of your imagination. With it, you could explore your ideas and push against the boundaries of your abilities, constantly discovering new things about yourself. The first serious program I wrote was a painting program, a sort of ur-Photoshop, and a harbinger for my future life as an artist.

On that computer, I learned how to program, how to problem-solve, how to create, how to design. On that computer I discovered a fascination with art and a skill for design. I wrote drawing programs and created music. I learned the magic of coding, and the beauty of a well-designed interface. I sketched out imaginary worlds and dreamed about starting my own game company. It started me on the path of curiosity, learning, and creativity. It helped form the foundation for my career as a designer and an artist.

So, thank you Steve. You’ve done so much since them, but to me your biggest accomplishment will always be that little beige box you and Woz made back in your garage. It helped form my identity, it helped shape my life. Thank you.

Here are some other people’s tributes:

• Daring Fireball: “Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot”
• Panic Software’s tribute
• XKCD’s perfect comic (be sure hover your mouse over the image to read the ALT text)
• Wil Wheaton: Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life
• John Scalzi: “…helping me to become me”

P.S. You should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

Thank you Steve Jobs

My art hanging in Gallery Veronique

P.S. You should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

introducing two new galleries