Here are four little paintings I did last spring for an art show at the Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville called Lux Aeterna. "Sections of hand-painted advertising signs, found on the underside of shelves, pulled from a rotting bookshelf in a St. Louis alley, restored Winter 2013" medium: Found Plywood Objects, with acrylic, gold leaf and lacquer"
Notebook sketches:
Notebook sketches:
Printed out and traced on to panels:
These artifacts, bits of larger signage sawed into reusable scrap sometime mid-century, were never meant to last. Originally meant to advertise a carnival sideshow act (See! Iris the Pop-eye Girl), a science fiction space travel tale, a new lightbulb for sale (DELUXE), and a kids' novelty toy, they were never meant to be art either. They promised escape from normalcy, boredom, darkness, and opacity but really sought the escape of money from your pocket. Rather than provide eternal light, they strive for temporary delight. They probably did the trick.
