So many of the products of our material culture have a short life span; millions of dollars are invested in a TV commercial lasting 20 seconds or a movie lasting a couple hours. I question what this pursuit of instant gratification adds to our lives, and inspired by the humane and spiritual themes that have nourished art over the centuries, I try to create works that will yield their pleasures over time and reward thoughtful contemplation. I find that the greatest pleasures develop slowly like gardening, friendship , love and family; and while true craftsmanship and art require an investment of time and energy, they foster a richer appreciation of every aspect of life.
My personal design vocabulary seems to have divided along two distinct lines of development, two styles which frequently interact and merge, but also continue apace in their own directions. One mode is abstract, deriving inspiration from the playful use of geometric forms, and the mesmerizing contours of nature. My other approach to visual composition might be characterized as poetic visual collage. Arranging imagery from textbooks, my sketch-books, medieval church glass, art history and literature, I follow an urge to compress time and reveal the inner workings of nature and human thought. In this process I find the buoyant and ennobling power of love, curiosity and hope at work in my spirit. Life is change and I like the idea that the viewer will often see the moving world on the other side of the glass. My work tends to embrace the kinetic unpredictability of this quality.
Glass is an amazing substance, responsive to the direction and degree of light, it is illuminated not by reflection as in most art forms but by transmission. Glass reveals with seductive directness the range of visual light. It also allows an amazing array of technical manipulations. In its very form stained glass acts as a kind of large scale external lens by which the thoughtful designer both reveals and gives added meaning to the light, color , form and motion around us.
Finally I would like to touch on how I approach meaning and message in the designs for faith communities? Because of my background and connections to both Christian and Jewish communities, I draw on the full inheritance of biblical imagery and narrative. Refreshing myself in these sources, and keeping an awed and humble attitude before the Creator, I try to serve these communities with all the energy, integrity, skill and thoughtfulness given me.