Photo Translations

Most recently, I have been working on a series of Photo Translations that commemorate early black and white photography. The act of painting from classic photographs is similar to that of translating a written work from one language to another.

I try to be true to the spirit of the photograph with which I am working, keeping the same subject matter and perspective but simplifying visually. I emphasize what interests me and what makes the image powerful. I interpret the photographer’s idea into my own black and white language at a much larger scale which I find transformative, and consequently invites the viewer to walk into the work itself.

I am a painter using the time-honored approach of making art about art, one that honors an earlier artist by creating studies and re-workings based on each artist's imagery. Each work is an homage to a favorite photographer of mine, and they are credited by including their name in the title of each piece.

It has been said that every generation needs its own translations of classic works. These are mine. I hope to make these images come alive for today’s audiences.