On being overwhelmed

I came into the studio this morning irritated. So I decided to clean up and organize the space. I took down everything I had tacked up and started going through the work, making a good and bad pile. Or rather a pile of work I want to pursue and work that I don't. Here's what the studio looks like so far. It aint pretty:

I'm feeling overwhelmed. To be honest with you, I have so much I'm working on that I don't know where to begin. Hopefully in writing about this I'll get some clarity on what it is I want to focus on.

Here are the series I'm engaged with

There are the paper prints mounted on panel with encaustic. Here are a couple of examples:

These pieces are, metaphorically speaking, fossilized records of our energy and spirit. They are documents in a way. I look at them as proof of our energy beyond the physical manifestation of this world.

Then there are the metal prints with varnish applied:

Honestly, I'm not sure what the hell the intent is behind these pieces other than trying to make the most beautiful object I can. Hold on. I do have a sense of what I want these to be. The varnish represents water. I look at these pieces as women submerged in some kind of liquid. They are trapped in my mind.

I have the transparent sculptures:

The inspiration behind these is cubism. They are also an outgrowth of my time series (see below.)

Then there are the pieces that I am printing on layers of organza and then binding together with encaustic:

I look at these as living things. The encaustic represents flesh and the image represents the movement of the spirit, soul and emotion.

I'm working on a couple of videos too. I don't want to post these yet.

There are the altarpieces:

These are influenced by early renaissance altars. Specifically the altars of Fra Angelico. I want these to be objects of worship directed at our physical and energetic makeup.

There's the time series:

These are about, well, time. Time and perception; how the two interrelate. I believe time is the bedrock of our existence. It can be measured mechanically yet our experience, or perception of it is so fluid.

I'm also working on digital drawings of water towers:

I wrote in a earlier post that I respond to the lack of industrial design they have. They are completely functional. Everything you see on the water tower serves a practical purpose and function.

And there are the architectural photos I am taking:

All that I listed is part of the fine art side of what I do. In addition to this I'm also working on commissions for magazines and pharmaceutical clients. Of these illustration projects, the one I'm most excited about is a project for National Geographic. I pitched the idea for a story to Bill Marr, the creative director, and they bit. I don't want to say more until it is on the newsstands. That should be May.

Phew. Now, for the fine art, I'll pick my favorites from these series and put them up on the wall. That is if my head doesn't explode first.