Lest it be thought from the last posting that my work be too frivolous (not that that would necessarily be a bad thing!), from almost ten years ago, here are pieces from an exhibition based on the story of the crucifixion of Jesus, which I named Crown Of Thorns, because only when it was nearing completion of the project did I realize that nowhere had I actually reproduced the wounds of the flagellation or nails or even the crown of thorns itself.
I had experimented with this in one sketch of the flagellation or Man of Sorrows - and had to stop. I simply was not able to bring myself to look at the awful physical disfigurements and torture so 
traditional to the story (this was before Mel Gibson’s truly disgusting movie, after which I more than ever felt felt vindicated in maintaining my original position of restraint. Grunewald’s revolting Isenheim Altarpiece I have never been able to stomach either, for that matter – which is perhaps the whole point! ).
The psychological agony was enough, surely, and seemed all that was necessary to the real message of redemption, anyway! In fact, I am yet to complete the centre piece of the story, the crucifixion itself! What a terrible joyless thing this rite of Christian salvation is! Surely there needs to be lessons learned from the Hindus and Buddhists, at least for some kind of balance between joy and sorrow! Although, who suffered more deprivation and anguish in the pursuit and name of revelation than Buddha himself. So, what do I know!
The series was entirely black and white, deliberately archaic in the sense that I used the stark contrast of line and solid black in quotation of the Greeks in their wonderful narrative decoration of earthenware. This also seemed to lend a sense of claustrophobia to the events of the story, placing a solid weight over everything, as if there was literally no way the participants could crawl out or escape from under that black dead mass.
Later, I expanded on the work. Graphite, and colored pencil pieces based on the original pen and ink drawings, in the way I work, always going back to things that need – demand - further development and reworking. Sometimes over dozens of years I’ll go back and do this, a kind of self cannibalization, I guess. The pieces are relatively small. It was suggested they should be room-size. I’m going to work on that too – someday!
