Artist's Statement on Public Art

It is important that artists pay attention to the public that interacts with their artwork; the trend to define an artist's status as cultural "hero" if they have left their audience behind is, in my view, shortsighted. While it is not wise or necessary to pander to the public, it is equally unwise to pursue elitism as an end in itself. I have been very fortunate that my artwork appeals to a wide audience. People, both young and old, the educated, and the uneducated often tell me that they enjoy what I do. I see this as a positive thing. Public art provokes, entertains, soothes and prods. It runs the gamut in creating reactions, but it should never bore. And while meaning in art seems elusive I am convinced it is there, however difficult it is to ascertain.

My own work is in many ways open to interpretation...it often suggests possibilities rather than demands the absolute. Yet it is in those possibilities that we find our deeper selves and our greater awareness. Public art needs to aspire to that, to inspire and challenge its audience, to be en "joyed" to its fullest, and I am most gratified when my work provokes that sense of wonder and joy, as I believe that is its highest calling.