48 x 96"
Acrylic, Ink, Enamel, and Plaster on Canvas, 2010
As the title of this piece suggests, I was inspired to paint LIFTED by the work of José Parlá, an artist from Miami originally known for his complex and heartfelt visualizations of life in his home city. Parlá's large-scale works draw on the elaborate calligraphic techniques of early graffiti artists and mediaeval Islamic court painters to evoke the beauty and language of many urban communities in American city life. See the panel to the right for an example of some of Parlá's artwork.
José Parlá, Nature of Language, In-Progress, 2013
This work is a site-specific installation at the James B. Hunt Library in Raleigh, North Carolina. Parlá's artist statement describes the work as "a written painting for and about the nature of language, an abstract landscape of words, phrases, names, and poetic thoughts inspired drifting through Raleigh while on walks and visiting unexpected places through a playful survey that eyed various historical resources on a psycho-geographical exploration of the city on two occasions. The painting is a reflection of my awareness while visiting; a diary, and of these experiential observations that form the syntax of its visual vocabulary."
48 x 24"
Paper, Acrylic, Ink, and Plaster on Particle Board, 2009'
I painted this work largely as a way of exploring the wide world of graffiti and street art. I had so much fun with this little experiment!
[Detail]
Paper, Acrylic, Ink, and Plaster on Particle Board, 2009