"The Illusion of Control, Pt.2"

Subtle Clean Landscape

It seems like so many of my paintings have several titles. In the beginning I was just happy to finish paintings and when it came time to title the painting, I was always excited and then cleverly decided on the “correct and perfect” name of the painting. This has changed over the years.

I produce a lot of work these days. The paintings seem to get finished and set aside to dry so quickly that I forget to title them. Most of the titles get written down long after they have been painted. The titles themselves are even a product of consequence.

Then there are times when I have to list the paintings online, or for a show and I am not in the same location as the painting. I have found myself, many times, making up new titles for the paintings just for the internet, social media, or a show brochure just to satisfy the need. They are thoughtful titles but they are titles that are not written on the original painting. When I find myself shipping the paintings off, I realize the original titles are written on the backside or the edge of the canvas, then I also realize they are two completely different titles.

This painting is one of those painting, I think??? Even now as I am writing the description here, I don’t know if the title “The Illusion of Control, Pt 2” is the original title. This is the problem with having three studios in different places. I have the home studio, the NC studio, and the GA studio and this will be getting harder and harder to document as time goes on.

Besides all that quasi relevant information about titles I absolutely love this piece. I went through a Naples yellow phase and this was one of those products. I like the opacity of the color along with venetian red. It’s a serene landscape that puts me in a peaceful mood and takes me away to a happy place. I love the rock formations also; they are raw and remind me of a thousand different places I have been.