The Ice Cream Robot Series

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This series of collage paintings where created for a gallery show back in 2009. I wanted to explore the theme of "consumption" in a way that would be open for interpretation by the viewer while still having a very deliberate narrative. Since mankind is entirely dependent on the consumption of natural resources in order to both survive and progress, I felt that the tone of the paintings should not be overly negative but should leave room for further meditation on the subject. Like all things in life, this issue is not black or white. It's too easy to just say that something is wrong without really thinking about how we got to where we are in the first place.

To help the viewer distance themselves from the obvious reactions that would come from seeing oceans of oil and leveled forests, I chose to use colorful robots and delicious ice cream treats to set the stage for my story. That way the audience can decide for themselves whether they want to see these images as a call for conservation or just a fun picture of a robot enjoying a frozen snack.