The Entangling— Coming to Principle Gallery, June 2025
The outward wayward life we see,
The hidden springs we may not know—
It is not ours to separate
The tangled skein of will and fate.
–John Greenleaf Whittier, Snow-Bound (1866)
This new painting from my upcoming Principle Gallery show might best represent the concept of this show, at least in how I see it. It’s a triptych called The Entangling. It’s simple and spare with the tangles of knots that make up the sky and their relationship to the Red Tree carrying the painting’s emotional weight here. It has a mixture of stillness and movement, along with a quietness that sings clearly, that connects with me and pulls me into the tangles.
I am showing it with its frame here. It seemed more important to show it as it will appear on the gallery wall rather than showing just the images of the three painted surface.
This piece probably deserves more discussion and time than I can afford this morning. But then again, maybe it doesn’t need it. Maybe it doesn’t require explanations. Maybe it is, in simply being what it is, the explanation of itself.
Hmmm… That’s something to think about today as I continue prepping work for the show. In the meantime, here’s a song from Lisa Hannigan that is at least somewhat titularly related to the subject today. It’s called Knots and this fun video does have to do with painting– sort of.
The Entangling is included in my exhibit of new work, Entanglement, that opens Friday, June 13 at the Principle Gallery with an Opening Reception from 6-8:30 PM. I will also be giving a Painting Demonstration at the gallery on the following day, Saturday, June 14, from 11 AM until 1 PM.
Redtree Times 
It was a good choice to show this one with the frame. I really like it. Between the frame and the triptych form, it appeals more directly to me than some of the others. It’s also the first of these ‘tangled sky’ paintings to feel like fun. I suspect it’s because the sky suddenly reminded me of the old metal ring puzzles that my dad used to solve, and that I never could.
It’s funny that you mention those metal ring puzzles. I had them as a kid and could sometimes figure them out. That was really satisfying but the next time I picked them up they were once again a mystery to me. I was thinking about them recently as they were a reminder of my trouble in remembering processes throughout my life. Even now, I often can’t remember how certain paintings were put together. It can be frustrating but on the plus side, it creates opportunities for new ways of doing things. And that’s usually a good thing.