Under the Weight Painting

I was born in 1951 in Paterson, New Jersey, into a third-generation Italian family. Paterson was gritty and vibrant, and that rough beauty left a lasting impression on how I see the world. Raised by a single mother who recognized my creative spark early, I was given the most important thing a young artist can have: space and freedom to explore. By the time I was fourteen, I knew art wasn’t a hobby—it was my path. Though I took a few classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York, I’m largely self-taught. I learned by making, by reading voraciously, and by immersing myself in the work of others. One of my formative experiences was working alongside Len Lye in the early ’70s. I wasn’t his assistant, more like his helper—but his energy, rigor, and belief in the artist’s integrity left a deep impression on me. My creative life has been anything but linear. I’ve sailed the Caribbean, worked on freighters, held four studios in New York City, and taken every opportunity to follow where the work leads. In 1989, I received a New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) grant, which helped support my move to Los Angeles. While there, I began work on Dreads, a photographic exploration of the history and symbolism of dreadlocks. The book was published by Artisan and Workman Press and saw ten national printings. It marked a turning point in my career. I later developed a process that merges photography and painting—printing black and white photographs on rice paper, laminating them to canvas, and layering in graphite, ink, and paint. I was drawn to the texture and patina—the way it echoed the poetry of decay. That fascination with weathered surfaces, time-worn materials, and visual erosion has remained central to my work. During the Trump administration, I began distressing and altering American flags—especially maritime signal flags—as sculptural commentary on the erosion of truth and democracy. At the same time, I produced layered, more meditative works that leaned into beauty and contemplation. COVID brought another shift. My partner and I bought a 40-foot trawler and lived on the water for four and a half years, cruising as far as the Florida Keys. Life on the sea fed a different kind of reflection. Now, in 2025, I’m back in New York, and I’m trying to restart my studio practice. But at my age, with limited resources, it’s difficult. I know how much I still have to say, and I want nothing more than to spend the years I have left making.