Ragged Strata
Acrylic gel-press monoprint (1/1). 10 x 8 in. 2026.

When I pulled this print off the gel press, the edges did not come up cleanly. I immediately loved the effect. This unique monoprint is hanging in the show at the Glass Outhouse Gallery which opened yesterday, with reception this Saturday from 6-9. As part of Joe Chaplain’s Electrons show I’m exhibiting several new paintings and monoprints (both framed and unframed) concerning the homesteads of Wonder Valley.

My artist’s statement for the show:

“Humble cabins, relics of the Small-Tract Homestead Act of 1938, dot the wild desert landscapes of Wonder Valley.  They are a marker of our community, what we have in common – whether abandoned, neglected, long inhabited, or reclaimed. 

“The iconographic simplicity of the homesteads in the vast setting of the desert has given me room for different stylistic approaches.  Over the years I have addressed this muse in pastel and ink and, more recently, in acrylic and also on paper, using the simple gel press.

“Currently I am especially interested in the depth of time visible or felt in the desert, the layers upon layers present in this stark but living laboratory. Our bodies feel the ancestors, animate and inanimate. In the desert the mystery is part of us, not a stranger.“

The reception will feature live music from his new Electrons album by the Joe Chaplain Band, as well as art and performances by other talented folks. Gallery hours Wed-Fri 1-5 pm and Sat-Sun noon-5 pm. Show runs through May 30.

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