What part of the country did you grow up? (urban/rural) and how does that reverberate in the  work?

 I grew up in a suburb just outside of Philadelphia (Erdenheim) PA. I would say if anything the  grey light and the sort of smaller underdog grit of the city. I grew up going to see art, jazz, and  punk rock shows .

 Do you remember the first artwork/music/book/film that impacted your imagination? When did  you decide to pursue art?

 A good handful of paintings that still reside in the Philadelphia Museum of Art really hit me  early on (and continue to).  As far as music, I learned really young that I can like Metallica, and  Edie Brickell just the same, so I absorbed a lot there too. Particularly a lot of punk, indie,  hardcore bands.  Alice in Wonderland was the first book that really spiked my curiosity.  I knew art was a part of my life really early on. Before high school even. I think I knew in high  school it had to be part of my life, like it was my way of discovering myself..

 At our studio visit you talked about qualities of light in different geographies (primarily in  Philadelphia and San Francisco), can you share that with our readers?

 Well yes, the light in Philadelphia is very grey compared to California. I lived in Seattle a while  before San Francisco. I drove the entire country (East to West) watching the light change. People  always talked about the light in Richard Diebenkorn’s paintings being very particular to the bay  area, and I finally understood that when I was there. Someone asked why all my colors seemed  a little grey while I was in California and I could only explain that it was more the light I

What is a dream destination for you?

 Honestly, the southwest was a complete inspiration when I went through there - the vastness  was inspiring, part of why I was so excited  for the opportunity to show in this space. I sensed the vastness from Agnes Martin works that inspired me early on in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In fact, one of the paintings in this group was intended as an ode to Agnes  Martin’s “The Rose” from the PMA.  Titled “Rose (here to there)” because I felt a sense of  returning the inspiration back, with perhaps a little grey…  But maybe Japan also.

 Your work has so much depth and evidence of the hand, how did you find your voice in  painting? Can you talk about the tactile record of a painting?

 Well thanks! I really appreciate how a painting is/was made, or at least not trying to hide it. My  paintings really build from the support structure on.  Often many layers (not always), but I want  the evidence of that process apparent. It’s a bit like the journey I (or the painting) have been on.  Much like leaving a relic of its own life.

 What historic artist or movement are you inspired by?

 Weirdly Dada. I do feel like a fairly conceptual painter. They were just clever and really thought  about art conceptually/philosophically (in the grander scheme of things). George Brecht broke my brain with such simplicity. I think I am inspired by any art that is simple,  yet endlessly complex. I guess that’s what I’m into - any art I can live with and endlessly think  about. Chinese and Japanese brush painting, pop art, even photorealism. There’s so much to  consider in all of it. Postmodernism was heavy in my art education, and honestly I’m not sure how to come back from that. The world is just really fucking complex, and I appreciate and try  to accept that.

 What contemporary artist(s) or are you inspired by?

 Oh boy. Many local artists around me (some have moved), endlessly my dear friend Ian  Williams.  Aj Rombach, Tess Wei, Quentin Morris, Steve Riedell. I could go on with artists I’ve  known here.. It would be a conversation in and of itself to get into what it is about any of these  artists that  inspire me…. Mary Heilman, Hank Willis Thomas, Raoul De Keyser (passed away in 2012), John Zurier,  Johnathan Lasker, Juergen Teller, Christopher Wool, Vija Celmins, Katherina Gosse. I could keep  going but I’m afraid I’d go down a rabbit hole then worry about who I’m forgetting so I’ll just  stop there.

 When is your favorite part of the day?

 Probably cooking dinner.

 When you are getting ready to start a new piece or series, how do you begin? With materials?  Color? A title?

 It usually starts (almost out of boredom, like, what’s next? I guess I’ll prepare a new linen or a  stretcher/strainer) so I guess the materials.  Sometimes a simple pigment, material  or paint. But often the work becomes clearer to me as it is being made. A few times I’ve had a plan and  the result stuck to the plan.

Jasper Johns said, “Sometimes I see it and then paint it. Other times I paint it then see it. Both  are impure situations, and I prefer neither.” That speaks to my process…

 Do you listen to music in the studio? What have you been listening to recently, or what do you  return to again and again?

 Very much so. I have (as I duck my head a little) a studio playlist I put on repeat over and over  mostly. It’s a slowly evolving playlist of mostly really sad reflective music. Cat Power, Nick Cave,  Jeremy Enigk, Lungfish, Portishead, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, PJ Harvey.  I do branch out and go  all over the place but if I’m really “in it” it’s usually the playlist.

 Do you surround yourself with reference materials or colors? What does your studio look like?

My studio I would say is pretty utilitarian. Not too much of a mess but not too neat either.  Completely functional. I feel like I’m adept at taking a space and making it work as best it can for  my needs. I have a garage space I converted right outside of the house. It’s funny because currently I have a few artist’s books in the studio, but that’s usually rare. I still  feel like I can be easily influenced or even misled from where my work is leading me, so I tend to  keep artist’s books out of the studio and in the house.

 At the end of a studio day, how do you extract yourself? Any closing rituals or routines?

 Usually just turning off music and realizing I’ve stayed up too late.

The title of the exhibition is taken from an Italo Calvino book. It is perfect for this body of work.  I’m curious about how you came to it?

 My friend (artist/writer/thinker) Ian Williams, has fed me some of Calvino’s work in how he felt  it related to his and my art”. I randomly ordered a few more of his books - “The Distance of the  Moon” - literally because of the title. I’ve made a lot of paintings relating  to the moon.  I started the paintings for this exhibition  just as I started reading it. The work evolved from a  simple grey painting, then into white/black/grey.. .I finished the book after I had finished this  group of paintings. It’s very short but in my opinion very dense with emotion and concepts to  contemplate,  simple yet I found it very complex. I was shocked to discover how in the end of  the book  grey,  black, and white became a main theme in this story standing in for reflections of  life and our human experience. It was so strange that all of it was in my head throughout the  paintings so I found it so fitting.

 What is a book or album that you have recommended to a friend?

 The Creatures “Boomerang”, or maybe Lungfish “Rainbows from Atoms”

 Do you keep a journal or a sketchbook? Do you have a favorite brand of book, pens or paint?  Is the typewriter your way to journal?

 I’m obsessed with lead holders (particularly Staedtler Mars Technico lead holder - one of the  greatest designs with a built in sharpener) and traditional fountain pens, but mostly I write on  the typewriter. It’s more like cryptic poetry or thoughts, I stow it in a box and just let it go. I  don’t know if that’s a form of journaling or not, just a weird part of my process.

Join us and Tim on Saturday October 7-6-9