In recent years I have become increasingly aware of warning signs. It started around the time my daughter was born. I flipped down the car visor and saw a violent image of an infant suffering head trauma, the result of an improperly installed car seat. On our water heater I noticed a graphic of a man engulfed in flames.
I was offended by these images that told me I should be afraid, that danger lurks everywhere. I questioned the widespread promotion of fear. But I was also drawn to the graphic elegance of these warning signs. Each is distilled to its simplest form, and presented with a certain kind of beauty.
Working with these images has become a way to address my new-parent anxieties. The result is this series of paintings. Each begins with a warning of danger, and then heads in a new direction.
Note: The images on the lower right show the graphic referenced in the painting.