Quickly Kicking Off The Unparalleled “Sedimentary Series”

Since buying the desert camouflage fabric and coming up with the idea for “Apologist Accepted” (right), I’ve been interested in the logical absurdity of the Young Earth creationist knuckleheads. Ignoring the fact that it is evidence-based fact derived from observations and experiments in multiple scientific disciplines that the universe has existed for around 13 billion years, that the Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago with life first appearing at least 2.5 billion years ago, they cling to literal interpretations of some bronze age creation myth. The apologists’ blaming fossil evidence on the Devil’s trickery are a source of great amusement as a cynic and consternation as a Humanist.

But making fun of the willfully ignorant is too easy…there is more to be explored. The concept of geological time is tied to so much that exposes any theology as primitive superstition: topics such as Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, Anthropology and Archeology give a better appreciation of the unique circumstances it took for us to be hear interpreting it all. That is the essence of these pieces, a truer appreciation of our humblingly minute moment in time rather than convincing ourselves we were inevitable or part of some god’s plan.

The tall format of this series and silhouetted subject matter at the top came to me while driving west towards a landfill at sunset. The back lit trucks on top of the layered mound of discarded modern artifacts and shitty diapers were a contrast of beauty and decay, landscape and landfill, timelessness and immediacy. I place the small insignificant human reference atop millions of years of layered history.

The first in the series is to be the gravel quarry inspired by a similar experience with the dump driving outside San Antonio towards the Alamo Cement Company quarry. Other ideas include the landfill, a cemetery, a strip mine, swampland oil rigs, pueblos and fossil beds.

Rock Quarry: – photoshop mockup

The layering of earth, rock and human artifacts isn’t just a conceptual notion, it is a representation of the rich layering of washes, splatters and polyacrylic that make up my paintings. Each convey the passage of time and the human influence within in it. Any allusion to the willful stupidity of New Earth notions is just gravy.

The Support is Ready:

Panel is nailed a glued to 1×2’s, edges sanded smooth in preparation for gluing the fabric base down. I like a hard slick surface to paint on.

The Fabric is Chosen:

More desert camo fabric is found at the third fabric store I try, but it is a heavy cotton blend with a very textured weave. It’ll require more layers of clear coat to make it smooth, but that will only add to the physical depth of the surface. A theme of 50s era Americana develops in the selection of sediment layers. Associations can be made to bygone days of relative innocence, growing prosperity, racism and misogyny.

Layers are Prepared:

How the layers will be arranged is planned. The number of layers I anticipated including is decreased to allow more of each fabric’s pattern to be included. I hope this doesn’t negatively affect the impression of layered time I’m trying to achieve.

Layers are Fixed:

Everything is down. Still layering translucent white bands that separate the bands of fabric. Black drips flowing down add a horizontal element and tie layers together. Black will be built up and will include the silhouette of quarry structures.

All Done:
Take a Look

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