As a child, winter held the possibilities of playing in the snow, getting out of school for unexpected snow days, and sledding. As I got older the joys of childhood gave way to the excitement of motorcycles, fast cars and sunshine. Ol’ Blue was painted during one of those winters when the sun just wouldn’t shine, the cold just wouldn’t end, but the dream of riding never relented. Ol’ Blue is the vision of what would be on that first Sping day when the frost gave way to blue skies filled with sunshine.
I was born in Moline, Illinois, in the late winter of 1962. I started airbrushing at the age of 12, painting on cars, vans, and motorcycles rather than creating paintings of them. By the time I was 16 my self-taught style was becoming widely accepted and I was being sought out to paint on garages, race cars and motorcycle helmets, some of which have been worn by several peers as we raced each other in my local motocross circuit. As an adult I had graduated to painting on canvas, metal, plywood, any material that would accept the medium of airbrush acrylic. I have always found comfort in the feel of an airbrush and it was a natural progression to move from the 70’s art style of free hand depictions to the defined and disciplined style represented in Ol’ Blue.
In addition to painting, I have an extensive background in metal crafting, creating anything from whimsical lawn sculptures, to iron gates, to steam punk lamps. I live by the motto, “if it can be dreamt up, it can be built.” I have always been told that art should evoke emotion. It is much easier to evoke anger or sadness, but serenity is also an emotion. Sometimes in our world today it is much harder to take the viewer to a place away from their stress, allow them to calm down and relax, to remember a moment when their worries just disappeared. There is simple beauty in most of the things around us; sometimes you just have to look at it from a different perspective. This is the style by which I paint and live. Ol’ Blue. Dream on.
The views expressed by our artists in their artist statements do not necessarily represent the views of our art galleries. Artists can be visually expressive but may verbally misrepresent their true intentions or ideas. Please note that we support expression, whether it is controversial or not, but our intention is never to offend.
Southern California Art Galleries
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Our owner and curator is Linnea Lenkus, who has two Los Angeles portrait studios and has a passion for high quality art. Her goal is to promote artists in her Southern California art galleries.
