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I’ve been a graphic artist for many years. Back in the late 70’s I pioneered the concept of using linear graphics embedded in acrylic. I created kinetic sculptures employing this technique. I premiered my work in 1979 at the world’s largest art festival – Spoleto USA in the main atrium of Gaillard Auditorium & Exhibition Hall, the center for opera and dance during the festival. My first piece (left) was also displayed at the outdoor finale at Middleton Gardens. There were people surrounding it all day.

These kinetic sculptures impart a message to the viewer, one that will be here for many centuries. That was my goal. I wanted to design something with purpose and permanence. Unfortunately I had to stop that work because the methyl ethyl keytones used in the resin curing process started to affect my kidneys.

I spent a considerable amount of time in New York City discussing my work with other artists, marketing, and advertising people. At one point I had an agent who took me to all the right places and receptions. I was working on a method to take my work from three dimensional to one dimensional, retaining the linear graphic concept. I was able to move in that direction, but the permanence was gone and the pieces lacked the appeal of the sculptures. They had to be removed from the wall to read them. Big draw back!

I contacted the gentleman who introduced Trivial Pursuit into the USA. I asked him if he would review my latest work. I had hopes of marketing a new puzzle using my graphic concept. I flew to New York for a one hour meeting. He liked the puzzle concept, but taking it off the wall was a killer. No good. He directed me to revamp the work. Six months later the work went in a new direction. The graphics were still there, but the piece did not have to be removed from its hanging position.

This work morphed into a new puzzle called The Manx. It took over twenty years to reach that point with my linear graphics. A second line of work, my trademark Gothic Series, uses graphically embossed, hand drawn gothic lettering superimposed on a collage of varying subjects. This work is a descendent of my original linear graphic sculptures.

One thing was still lacking – permanence. Oil paintings last a very long time without appreciable fading. But I worked in a computerized medium now. Painting one of these things would take forever. In the past few years great strides have been made in the printing industry. Inkjets using state of the art pigmented inks enabled canvas and paper prints to achieve an expected longevity of 200+ years. This really worked for me. Now I could get archival longevity from my prints. You can review my prints at my online gallery - TigersTime Studios.

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