Portrait of the Artist as Jason

Portrait of the Artist as Jason, 2011. 16" x 25". Acrylic, oil stick, pencil, wax on wood planks.

This painting is another in an artistic cycle inspired by the Jason and the Argonauts mythology of ancient Greece that I have been preoccupied with. In the story Jason goes off in search of the Golden Fleece, the fabled pelt from a flying ram, to legitimize his rightful place on his father's usurped throne. There are links between Jason and I in my trying to legitimize my place in the art world. We both have embarked on a quest to substantiate a life we feel can be ours. In the portrait Jason seems to peer off into the nebulous distance from his ship, Argo, trying to ascertain his future.

Read more after the cut; see a detail also!


The Argo is shown in the bottom of the panel and given a masculine shape. It is entangled with a cumbersome looking letter "J" for Jason. This suggests that in his quest his ego, his own pride may well get in the way of what he wants.  Written above the boat built by Argus is a line from one of the Smiths songs, "How Soon is Now?" I'm not sure if it was Morrissey or Marr that wrote the lyric, but it reads, "I am the son and heir of nothing (in particular)." This introduces doubt to Jason's and my ascension to privilege.

I have obviously taken a great deal from Cy Twombly, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Julian Schnabel. Twombly has recently become a huge crush of mine. I am so taken by the emotion exuded by his use of color and movement. I am really struggling to make something that is current and also mine. I am trying to kill off the art idols I have and leave behind a core of myself.  I wish I had someone, a mentor, I could discuss this more with. There are a few more pieces coming from this cycle: a triptych on the violence caused by Medea, some more of the challenges that Jason faced like the Symplegades painting, a sculpture, and a couple others.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the influence by Greek art here. Especially that of the krater/ kylix painter Exekias. I felt it appropriate to return to the beginning of art in order to move forward. The wood panel I made from an old pallet and I sealed parts of it with wax like they do in shipbuilding.