Sunset, Friday, 4 September 2009

William Theodore Van Doren. Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.

Once upon a time, I was going to attempt a mini-essay on how all serious artists are alike in broad intent – why the similarities between a Jackson Pollock and a Jan van Eyck might be much more important than the differences. In this sparkling screed I would compare my friend Mike Fitts, a Pop Realist (I have no idea what he’s going to think of that label, which I just made up) with yours truly, a – what? (A whatever – possibly a would-be neo-Transcendentalist, and I have no idea if there’s any school of painting by that name.) But this will have to wait for another day, possibly the 30th of February.

Meanwhile, it’s more fun just to link you directly to some big versions of Mike’s paintings. Most if not all of these are done on found metal, scrap tin, the roofing of old burned-down sheds. (For example, roofs of old burned-down sheds accidentally burned down by a fellow artist.) (No name or initials, but he burned the shed down neotranscendentally.) You can choose from among a box of popcorn, an adjustable end wrench, a package of Twinkies, a Hostess cherry pie, a box of animal crackers (and directing you to all this food probably reflects my orientation more than Mike’s ... and I hope you’ve had something to eat!), an ice cream scoop, and, my favorite so far, a freshly laundered and folded white shirt.