Relentless, Mosquito detail from Shard 1

At the beginning of a new series of work that I am tentatively calling "Relentless". Something about human reaction to the effects of climate change. Humans might not survive, but nature will. In this case, an invasive disease-carrying mosquito coming north as the climate warms.

This work will shown at Red Head Gallery in early summer, 2026.

Relentless, Shard 1, 2024

I like to think of this format as a "shard", an enlargement maybe of a broken ceramic saucer. Found some time in the future, idealizing some of the invasive species brought on by climate change. While we still had the technological capabilities to make such a thing.

Spray paint through hand cut stencils applied to aggressively abused paper. 8 pieces. Irregular about 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide

Relentless, Shard 2, 2024

The invasive species this time is the blue marbled crayfish. Apparently the exotic darling of some aquarium owners. Trouble is, it doesn't reproduce sexually. Rather through cloning. So if you have one do you have potentially thousands? Flushed down the drain, they are crowding our native crayfish

Spray paint through hand cut stencils. 8 pieces. Irregular about 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide

Shard 1, Mosquito Stencil 1, 2024

Elsewhere on my website you will find that I have been creating imagery by spraying paint through hand-cut stencils for decades. This is one of the very few occasions where I have incorporated actual stencils into the exhibition.

About 22 inches in diameter.

Relentless, Cucumbers, 2024

I personally find a lot of comfort in considering the aggressive resilience of my backyard garden. I love to contemplate all the dark and mysterious vegetative tangles it creates. Perhaps humans won't survive climate change, but nature will. What does "invasive" mean anyway - just another word for change and the need to cope with it (like it or not)

Charcoal, carbon and coloured pencil on abused paper. 3 pieces, each 22 in x 30 in. Total size about 5 ft x 5 ft.

Relentless, Cucumbers, detail

Relentless, Shard 3, 2024

This time "murder" hornets. Really? Are they?

Spray paint through hand-cut stencils on aggressively abused paper. 8 pieces. Irregular about 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide

Relentless, Shard 3, detail of Hornet 2.

Relentless, Shard 3, Hornet Stencil 1

About 22 inches in diameter

Relentless, Mystery Potted Plant, 2024

I find that getting my hands dirty in the garden truly therapeutic. I can't say that I am an "educated" gardener. I don't know the names of things. In this case, a plant I rescued from being trampled. Its resilience is amazing.

Charcoal, carbon and coloured pencil on abused paper.

2 pieces, each 22 in x 30 in. Total about 4 ft x 3 ft.

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Apparently, Ontario gardens are being invaded by "hammer head" worms. Ok?! Originally from southern Asia, where, for some they symbolize resilience and immortality .With good reason, apparently if you cut a hammer head worm into 100 pieces and you will get 100 worms.

Spray paint through hand cut stencils. 8 pieces. Irregular about 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide

Relentless, Shard 4, worm 1 detail, 2024

Relentless, 3 Shards, 2024

A digital construction of what 3 Shards might look like on a gallery wall. I doubt very much if they will end up being exhibited like this. I see more space around them, and interspersed with my Oasis/Garden drawing.

Maybe something like this?

Relentless, Lilies, 2024

A little bit of water. A little bit of love, and these lilies just keep on coming.

Charcoal, carbon and coloured pencil on abused paper. 3 pieces, each 22 in x 30 in. Total about 5 ft x 5 ft.

Relentless, Pond Lilies, 2024

I have a small goldfish / koi pond outside of my studio. A constant revelation about light and dark, along with irresistible growth. The fish love to hide in the roots of these lilies.

Charcoal, carbon and coloured pencil on abused paper. 3 pieces, each 22 in x 30 in. Total about 5 ft x 5 ft.

Relentless, Shard 5, 2024

I am blessed in that I share a family cottage north of Toronto. My brother, this year discovered that in our little bay, we had an infestation of Chinese Mystery Snails. Of course, they are "Chinese" and of course they are mysterious. Big brutes that probably beat up on the resident snail population.

Spray paint through hand-cut stencils on aggressively abused paper. 8 pieces. Irregular about 8 ft tall x 6 ft wide

Studio installation of some of the Oasis/Garden drawings, 2024

Relentless, Background stencil 1

First, I draw the image for the stencil in some detail on Stonehenge paper. Everywhere I make a mark, I cut out. And as with any stencil, there is a design strategy involved - you don't want to cut a circle out - because this just fall on the floor!!

Stonehenge paper is a delight to draw on, but is also very easy to cut without falling apart.

After the stencil is used (that is, sprayed paint through) the image reverses. In this case, the white spaces are, in fact, holes in the paper

About 22 in x 30 in

Relentless, Background stencil 2

Relentless, Background stencil 4

Relentless, Background stencil 5

Relentless, Background stencil 5

Relentless, Background stencil 6