For me art is not about the intellectual but about the visceral. It needs to give me a one two punch when I look at it. In short, I probably could be better classified as a graphic artist or designer than simply a conventional artist. I love the use of color, line, and design, and the juxtaposition of these basic elements. I subscribe to the philosophy that less is more, and minimalist art appeals to my sense of restraint and order. There is no better artist that expresses the power of pure, unadulterated color and geometry at its most fundamental level than Ellsworth Kelly. His forms and colors saturate my brain and awaken my senses. I have named a paired painting that I did after him “Ellsworth”. He is in the upper pantheon of artists that I admire.
Honestly, I could see myself being an industrial designer if I had an alternative life. I am in love with everything Apple and channel Steve Jobs when I go onstage to present. My entire office is filled with Apple Computers. As men, we don’t have a lot of style options other than our clothing, hairstyle, watches, and for me eyewear. The two companies that artistically I love are Lindberg (which I mostly wear day in and day out) and Theo (which is for some funky fun weekend wear). Lindberg, which has won countless design awards, is from Danish origin; and Theo is from Belgium. To me, these two companies express incredibly high quality in design but also an amazing artistic flair as well.
Another discipline that has had a profound influence on me and that I relish deeply is architecture. Working with Gary Williams, my architect, who built the Willow Bend Wellness Center, my building, I only provided an impact on this talented individual by suggesting the great influences that have inspired me: Richard Meier, Le Corbusier, Philip Johnson, Louis Kahn, Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando, among many other greats. I think most architects work with clients that fail to appreciate their work, and I certainly did not and do not with Gary Williams.
Out of many of the architects I admire I truly love Richard Meier. A huge reason is that I see him as a bridge between modern and contemporary architecture, carrying forward the legacy of many of the mid-century modern giants but with a more contemporary flair. His spare white modular aesthetic, subtle curvilinear design and use of glass entrance me. I love great architects who can create a remarkable space within which to live, work, breathe, and meditate.
Another artist who has profoundly shaped my aesthetic vision is Agnes Martin who died in 2004 at the age of 92. Her spare art style with grids, lines, and subtle pastel washes evoke a deep Eastern spirituality that I adore. She conveys so much gentle artistry through “less is more” philosophy. Perhaps many find her paintings to invoke ennui, but I am captivated, inspired, and awed by her work. I would encourage anyone who loves this painting and who is not familiar with her work to investigate it more thoroughly. She is a beacon of peace in a tempestuous sea of overdone, over the top art that dominates much of contemporary art. I simply love her aesthetic vision. In fact, I named one of my pieces “Agnes” after her, which I hope to photograph and share here on this website.
Here is an inspirational interview with her so that you can understand her aesthetic philosophy more thoroughly:
Me Standing at the Mass MOCA Lewitt Exhibit in North Adams, MA
My Love of Sol Lewitt by Dr. Sam Lam
I am always looking for inspiration as an artist and no one has had as much a profound impact in my work as the late Sol Lewitt. He was the pioneer of the conceptual movement of the 1960s in which he championed the idea over the execution. I myself have loved the idea of the concept because the two times that I get most excited about my work is when I think of an original idea and when I sit comfortably looking at my work before the final touch of paint even dries. Lewitt provides pristine geometry, vivid colors, and restraint. Although I like Jackson Pollock, it is not how I enjoy looking at paintings. It is too uncontrolled for how I do a painting. I like order and balance through control but through some expression of painterliness. Lewitt just does it for me. Great stuff. I have seen a lot of his retrospectives but if anyone has time to make it to Mass MOCA in western Massachusetts, you will see the amazing (almost overkill) Lewitt exhibit there that opened on November 16, 2008 and will run for 25 years.
Here is a fun video showing the installation of a wall painting:
