Tommy's Gas and Grocery

Tommy's Gas and Grocery
James Zeske
2008
gauche, acrylic, gesso, ink on canvas
52"x 26"

My new work is an exploration of materials and techniques ranging from painting on canvas to wood burning on cheap wood. I'm interested in the overlapping of social status and find my work to be a reflection of American contemporary culture. The "store" paintings create a sense of space with the white terrain in which the viewer might reflect back on their lives or create some kind of story. These paintings are also a symbol for consuming things that we want/need and the possible self destruction of possessing things as status symbol. We seem to find a sense of security and/or acceptance in material possessions. Mothers plaque on the kitchen door reads, "we too often love things and use people when we should be loving people and using things". Maybe it all depends on who you know and what you own.