Paintings in Supervisor's Office

Five paintings from my Trees Posing series were delivered to the ArtSpan office this morning.  Despite the crazy traffic and construction right outside the office, I made it on time with my nerves intact.  ArtSpan has been absolutely fabulous at getting venues for it's members to show their work and these paintings will be in the office of District 11 supervisor's office, Ahsha Safai.   A reception is planned for the beginning of next year.

"Climate Deniers" came about when I read an article by SF Chronicle reporter, Heather Knight  in which she wrote about a tweet and the response from some.   She tweeted "when will our leaders start taking climate change seriously?"  Then she got slammed by climate deniers for linking the California wildfires to climate change.  Really.  

In painting the trees, I often start with a red background and then overlay with other colors after the red dries.  In this case, it looked like a fire blazing so I went with that idea and posed the trees as being oblivious to the approaching fires.  A couple of the trees are concerned but most are ignorant.  

"Climate Deniers" 2018
oil and beeswax on panel
18 in X 18 in

"Climate Deniers"  2018
oil and beeswax on panel
18 in X 18 in

"Iwo Jima Trees"  2018
oil and beeswax on canvas
20 in  X 20 in

With all the partisanship and tribalism in politics today, I fear for American democracy and our country.  The trees are posed as in the iconic photograph by Joe Rosenthal with the trees raising the upside flag, the sign for distress.

"Last Supper Trees"  2015
oil and beeswax on panel
22 in X 60 in

I've painted a few of the trees in the classical Leonardo Last Supper poses but this one takes place in the desert with Mt. Diablo in the background.  Just for fun.

"Washington Crossing the Delaware Trees"  2013
oil and beeswax on canvas
24 in X 48 in

And this is a copy of the same painting that is hanging outside the Excelsior Library in San Francisco.