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“MOUTHSCAPES” The final identifiers of who we once were, after the majority of our physical bodies have passed away, are our teeth. These gravestone markers of our mouths are the permanent records of our life and identity, ever evolving until our last breath. Our mouths are the suppliers of the intimate details of our habitual lives. Their structure, color, and health can reveal clues regarding one’s socio-economic status, habits of mastication, ingestion and hygiene as well as age. Although these concepts conjure up the postmortem phase of an individual, this series of “mouthscape” oil paintings are the opposite. These are alive with kinetic cool blues, warm wet reds and sensual thick brushwork. The subtle variations in the textures of the tongue, cheek and gums are in lively contrast to the hard white-yellow enamel of the protruding teeth. Mouths are the birthplace of verbal communication. However, these portraits communicate through their visual landscape. The paintings’ large-scale (ranging from 3 to 5 feet) transform them from mere body parts into larger than life vistas, inviting the viewer to move deep within their cavernous flesh and bone formations. These paintings grant the observer rare access to the usually hidden, intimate, vulnerable and sensual “mouthscapes” unique to each of us.
54” x 54” Oil on Linen
M1
54" x 42" Oil on Linen
M2
60” x 48” Oil on Linen
M3
36” x 48” Oil on Linen
M4
48" x 60" Oil on Linen
M5
52" x 34" Oil on Linen
M6
42" x 36" Oil on Linen
M7
17" x 21" Crayon on Masonite - M8
54” x 48” Oil on Linen
M9