Forbes Friday Painting. Considering the several requests to explain what my paintings mean, I am trying something new; poetry. Enjoy.

Gates Keeper

She is an ugly woman.
Hands too big, tattered and worn catcher’s mitts
Breasts too small, perched high on a barrel chest
Hips set too wide, like she could birth an adult gorilla
Ankles swallowed by her enormous calves and feet
Hair greasy and unkempt
Eyes small and set too far apart
Mustache
Acne
Sweat
She is an ugly woman
And she knows she is an ugly woman

And I said to her, “but you are beautiful inside!”

Silence—she stares at me unimpressed and unmoved.

And she said to me,
“
Inside I am a crooked old crow
My talons are hard and unforgiving
To hold tight to my dignity
My wings are wide and strong
To take flight from those that intend to hurt me
I might have a beautiful face inside
But I paint it as a skull
To say clearly, ‘I choose this, I choose me’
“

And then she asked, “Do you know what you are inside?”

I believe that a lot of hard work will produce a superior product in the end. I believe that when you do a project over and over again–say 52 times–it becomes wonderful.

These paintings are my Basquiat early work miniatures, my Michelangelo sketches, Albers hundreds of color theory squares; these paintings are my attempt to discover where the path of my art brings me.

And I want to share with you.

Check out my other big ass paintings:
Family Made We
Lasting Providence End

52 Inspired People Project:
52 Inspired People Project