My earliest influence was the great comic book artist Jack Kirby. I was also blown away by the great story lines of Stan Lee. The Fantastic Four lived up to its hype as being "THE WORLDS GREATEST COMIC MAGAZINE." Kirby gave form to the wildest of cosmic places. The stories dealt with the fantastic but served as parables for the turmoil involved in the 60's. The lessons dealt with standing up for what is right, responsible use of power, overcoming fear, prejudice and aggresion.
The characters seemed real and faced the same concerns of us all. The crises they overcame were huge. If you think you've got troubles then what do you do on the day after you save the universe? Life goes on. Things return to normal for a while before the next challenge arrives. See ya next issue.
I'm listening to a bit of blues at the moment. WWW.MTV.COM - Blues 2 radio
Its the combination of sounds that I connect to and it depends on the moment what my appetite is.
If you've never heard the Beach Boys' Album Pet Sounds, give it a try and groove on the innovative combinations of sounds. It is after all the Inspiration for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. I love both albums but I listen to Pet Sounds a lot more. Another great find is Brian Wilson's solo Album with "Rio Grande." It is a sweet suite that reaches out on several levels.
Can I narrow my all time favorite down to one? I admire many for different reasons and seasons. I like a brush stroke with life. Spend some time with Claude Monet's hay stacks in Chicago. Feel the impression of time passing by and the experience of the colour of light as it changes. His influence is greatest on a warm day when you can paint on location by a river.
Something about the texture of Mark Tobey's work just brings a pleasant feeling to my eyes. The marks are comforting and soothing. Its like looking through a microscope and discovering an amazing pattern in a sliver of wood. Each time I visit his works I bring something new into the viewing experience and the parts come together to form a new whole. I'm influenced most by him when working in the studio or when working on an abstract composition.
