Taray

Beginning with Van Gogh, we are all to a certain extent (regardless of how great we want to be) autodidactic - indeed, one could almost say, naive* - artists. Artists no longer live within a tradition, and each of us has to create his own possible modes of expression. Every modern artist possesses the right to create his own vocabulary from A to Z
*** Picasso (1881-1973)***

In the difficult and wonderful battle of life, the simple woman emerges victorious, the sophisticated one defeated
***Coco Chanel (1883-1971)***

Art stimulates the imagination, porn stimulates the loins

Being beautiful is not being perfect, being beautiful is being fascinating in spite of being flawed.

*Naive Art: fresh, childlike style of painting, employing bright colors and strong, rhythmic designs, usually the work of artists with no formal training. Outstanding naive artists include French artists Henri Rousseau and Camille Bombois. The term is also used to describe the work of trained artists who employ naive techniques and effects, for example, the British painter L. S. Lowry

What I have noted is that in every encounter with other people I am able to learn something. Therefore even at my advanced age I must have a lot to learn.
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The visual arts such as painting, sculpture and last but not least photography copy with varying detail the works of the Great Artist to display to humanity the beauty of Creation. From landscapes to erotic nudes this depiction of what is beautiful in man’s eye is in recognition of the works of the Creator. I believe the Creator is the only artist that creates truly original works in the universe. Mankind is His Greatest work and I believe the bodies of women are His Masterpiece. The nude form of woman is art in itself, her movements poetry. Human artists can copy and rearrange The Creators work but only He can create the beauty we see around us.

I like to create images of humans in the act of doing simple activities in various states of undress. For that reason I am not a fan of "hand bras" that seem to be popular right now as it is not a normal part of a woman’s day to cup her breasts in an attempt to hide from sight. It is normal to be natural and not something to be ashamed of. Howsumever, it takes a grown up mind to view a woman or a man in a natural setting without the prejudice of seeing him or her merely as a collection of parts to be ogled at: a woman’s nude form should stimulate the intellect as well as the loins.

I use late 19th century paintings as backgrounds for completely new works. In taking photographs of the modern women and applying them to paintings made a century or so ago, replacing the subjects of the original painting and expanding the background to give the resulting image a whole new feel. As such I rename the piece but retain the original masters signature. After all I am using such works as a basis for my own.

I began this love of Post-Impressionist painters and Pictoralist photographers in college and have continued to study them and their art ever since.

If you have read this far you are either very, very interested or terribly, terribly bored.


Right now I do this because I love it. I do not know the value of such work but I feel compelled to make images in this fashion.
If I book a shoot with you and I will travel to you I require an address and a phone number prior to the shoot no exceptions. Know that a few days prior I will call just to touch bases with you. Still the vast majority of communication will be via internet. I will not use your number for any other purpose other than the shoot but I must have it. I hate talking on the phone as much as anybody but the gift of instant communications is sometimes a necessary evil.

Chicago Conservatory College
Harold Washington College
University Of Memphis
Various