These sculptures are where I get my chance to "voice" my strongly held views about the
American society's "ills", be they religious, political or cultural. This work often has a moralistic
message and I am not afraid of preaching or offending others. It has been described as "protest
art." I like it punchy, rough and not vague. Nothing gets in the way of my story telling of good
and evil. Everything else supports it.
Visionary and naïve artists have always been an inspiration to me. Non-trained artists have the
compulsive desire to communicate their private vision and passionate point of view and to make
a world that only they can make. They often believe their vision is the only correct one. They
produce without a critic looking over their shoulder or being driven by mass media. Their work is
fresh, unexpected, unorthodox and generally understandable to the public. I see this in sharp
contrast to the regurgitated ideas in the work of generation after generation of university-trained
artists that speak only to the members of an esoteric learned group. Although trained, I feel more
connected with visionary artists.
A colleague once stated that the function of art is to raise questions. I believe the function of art
is to give answers.
Three Rotating Bureaucrats
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My inspiration for this wind-activated sculpture came from my experience with working with
large bureaucracies. It seemed like as soon as you dealt with one bureaucrat and his or her
paperwork, there was another waiting in line.
Forged, fabricated painted steel, H. 8', 6' diameter, 2007.
Merry-Go-Round of Hidden Agendas
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This is a multi-leveled sermon that I felt driven to express visually and verbally, as in a play.
The "actors" are the people that I admire the least: extremists, liars, and the greedy. The "set"
are the houses through which the figures pass on their way to the House of Hell. Purgatory is
next and they start again. On the reverse of their balloons are their imagined thoughts.
On loan to the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA, forged, fabricated
painted steel, H.12' 10" x 5'3" diameter, 2006.
Monument to Frustration and Low Achievement
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This is the first time that I have used text so extensively. These are sentences I hear on the
phone, which tell me that I can't do anything. I feel that everything takes too much time,
especially the movement of papers in offices. Samples: WE WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO
THAT FOR THREE WEEKS. HE'S OUT PLAYING GOLF. SHE'S ON VACATION FOR A
MONTH. IS IT IMPORTANT?
Forged fabricated painted steel, H.11'9", 8'long beam, 2003
All Time Belongs to God
I consider this work to be a type of mechanical puppet show. The skeleton and Father Time
move their arms up and down as well as Father Time's wings. The clock's one hand moves
much faster. Time goes by quickly, but Father Time is not in a hurry as he judges those who
flames have been snuffed out. Flanking the clock are the classic symbols of good and evil.
Forged, fabricated painted steel, H. 19" x W. 6' x D.6', Massachusetts College of Art and
Design, Boston, redesign of columns and base, 2004.
The Evil That Men Do
Like a classic morality play, this work deals with the collision of good and evil. Evil is
represented by the two devils (in camouflage) with knives moving the military carrying a
"Peacemaker" missle. The archangel is prepared to do battle with a sword. Figures
representing "plain folk" respond by shunning.
Forged, fabricated painted steel, H. 7'10" x W. 7'7" x D. 23", 1984
