Untitled 1 or Heap of broken images...

Untitled 1 or "for you know only a heap of broken images" (2011) - 16x20" acrylics on canvas

$300 - SALE PENDING

50% goes to two Los Angeles-based HIV/AIDS organizations (Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team and Whittier Rio Hondo AIDS Project). 20% goes to the gallery for exhibiting the piece.

If you are interested in purchasing or making a bid, contact me at foxestacado@gmail.com.

This piece will be exhibited at a show at Fremont Gallery (South Pasadena, CA) called "In the Flow, Los Angeles Artists Supporting HIV/AIDS" as part of World AIDS Day 2011. Exhibition dates: December 3rd to December 12th, 2011. Opening reception: December 3rd, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

"In the Flow, Los Angeles Artists Supporting HIV/AIDS"

December 3rd to December 12th, 2011

Fremont Gallery, Fine Arts
812 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030

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My work is very frequently about the human condition, examined through the myriad expressions of human life and its challenges as represented in literature and popular culture. In this series, I am particularly interested in the feeling of ambivalence, and frequently use popular culture characters to mirror our own emotional ambiguities. For this show, I use original characters and faces to explore the theme of "in the flow," which I have chosen to interpret as the feeling of ambivalence as one encounters and negotiates the ebbs and "flows" of their individual life experiences.

The nature of ambivalence and ambiguity is also a large part of my work as an HIV/AIDS case manager. In order to bring about behavioral changes, I assist clients in the identification of ambivalence regarding behavior. This people-centered and evocative method of collaborative conversation is a technique called Motivational Interviewing, which seeks to draw behavior change from the person's own motivation and commitment. It is a very effective method designed to strengthen an individual's motivation and movement towards a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person's own arguments for change from their state of ambivalence.

Facts about this series:

- First original paintings available, ever, for purchase. I have never offered to sell previous traditional paintings, despite receiving many offers (including a blank check, once!)

- I had taken a hiatus from traditional painting since 2004, preferring instead to develop my technique in digital oil painting and photography. This series of paintings are my first completed paintings since 2004.