The current exhibition in the McKinney Arts gallery space, titled “Imagine Wilde Things,” takes its inspiration from a passage from an Oscar Wilde play. The play, Salomé, has an exchange between King Herod and Salomé where he says: “In a coffer of nacre I have three wondrous turquoises. He who wears them on his forehead can imagine things which are not …” and I always liked the idea that an artist with these magical turquoises might be able to create visions that other artists could not.
In the picture above, the watercolor painting on the left (from 1988) is included in this exhibition, showing a figure with glowing eyes and the magical turquoises on his forehead. I guess this idea really grabbed my attention, because I found that I had revisited this theme again in 1994 with the oil on canvas shown above right, titled “Wilde Vision.” I sold this painting at some point in the 1990s, so I had forgotten about it until organizing this current show.
I had also forgotten about a portrait I had painted of a young Oscar Wilde, also in 1988, seen below. That was based on this photo, I guess I was pretty into the writings of Oscar Wilde when I was in my early 20s, based on assignments I had in college to read his work.
Just a reminder that art works are available for purchase – if interested in any of these paintings or others seen on this site, please let me know.