I am really excited to show you the new work for my Dendrology Mythology show at Auguste Clown Gallery in Fitzroy, Australia that opens Friday (15 March). We're keeping it to sneak peeks right now, but here's a bit of background on how I came up with the concept.

Detail "Zephyr" acrylic on woodI began reading a book from 1880 by Wirt Sikes, "Welsh Folk-Lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions" and the line, "The chief philosopher of that enchanted region was a giant who sat on a mountain peak and watched the stars." sparked my first piece, "Zephyr".

Detail "Boris" acrylic on wood

While I was reading the book, we were in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy (and the blizzard that hit a week later), surrounded by huge oak trees broken in half, houses torn from their foundations and I began to imagine my own mythology of protectors and guardians to help me cope.

Detail "Oog" acrylic on wood

I went back to what I've always loved - songbirds, the forest and combined them into beings that I hope the viewer will want to know more about...to be friends with. Take a walk into the woods and peek under fallen trees and around clear, still pools and you might just see one of these creatures. And if you don't, know that they are still around, just out of sight, keeping you safe.

Many thanks to Auguste Clown for allowing me to show my work and hopefully make some people smile. For those of you in the area, they will also have my signed and mounted prints, some larger framed prints along with the original paintings on view.

If you want to receive the online preview which will go out Tuesday at 10pm EDT (in NYC) then please sign up for Auguste Clown's mailing list here.

Have a great day and thanks for reading!