The Metamorphosis of Faith was my response to the re-election of George W. Bush and the rise of religious fundamentalism in our country. As I looked at the world from the perspective of a gay man, I began to question my own beliefs and the feelings I have had about my loss of faith in our country–not only in what it has stood for, but also what it is becoming. I was so heartbroken after the elections of November 4th, 2004 I began to doubt my own faith in spirit, in the goodwill of mankind, and the sense that something all-loving, kind and compassionate was watching over all of us. The seeming lack of compassion, intolerance of difference, and the judgmental “fire and brimstone” point of view from the religious right– and their claims of moral superiority because of their Christian beliefs– have saddened me. As I watched the suffering and division it was creating in the U.S. and the way it was played out by the media and the religious right and their culture of fear, I found it hard to understand why anyone could support it. This was not my understanding of what both Jesus and the Buddha taught; nor was it the values my parents instilled in me from both their Christian point of view and what they felt was good about this country. I began to doubt my faith in what I have believed in–a dark night of the soul, if you will.
It seems that most of the world’s current problems stem from a polarizing fundamentalist agenda–of holding to a fixed view of how we all should live with no possibility for all the different paths and ways in which one might might choose to walk in a lifetime in a supposedly free society. Its adherents are dividing us, not uniting us, and yet many people seem to support this happening. It perplexes me. These boxes are my attempt to work through this dilemma and find some way back to my faith in humankind–to find some kind of transformation from this place of hopelessness, back to a place of faith and a feeling of being in unity with all of my fellow mankind.
2005
"The Metamorphosis of Faith" displayed at Gallery Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan for the show Image + Object in the fall of 2005.
"The Metamorphosis of Faith"
2005
The Metamorphosis of Faith at Gallery Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan for Image + Object in the fall of 2005.
"The Metamorphosis of Faith (exteriors)"
6.5" x 3.5" x 3.5" (each box when closed)
2005
The fronts of 10 pieces from the series The Metamorphosis of Faith.
"1. Prayer"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of the artist
"2. Muscular Movement #5"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"3. The Clothing of Consciousness"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
$400.00
"4. Treasure Martyr"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Lisa Johnson and David Peck
"5. The Evidence of Things Not Seen"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Sue Schooner and Tom Wieder
"6. Courage"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Dave and Julianne Pederson
"7. Dark Flight of the Soul"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Lynne Tobin and Tim Sparling
"8. No Fear of Flying"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Christian and Jackie Sparling
9. Faith in Action
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"10. Liquid Dreams"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
SOLD
"11. Attunement"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Renee and Mark Mueller
"12. Night Journey"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Beau and Jan Morley
"13. Mudras and Blessings"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
$400.00
"14. Sideshow Chrysalis"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"15. Ethereal Extractions"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"16. Into the Blue"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"17. The Refractionist"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Ruth Bardenstein
"18. What Does God Know?"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"19. The Sublime Abiding"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
$400.00
"20. Outrageous Misfortune"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"21. Soul Brother"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"22. Danger Love"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"23. Divine Evidence"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"24. Non-Judgment Day"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Arthur and Sharon Anderson
"25. Faith is the Key"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"26. The Meditant"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Krista Van Vleet and Lawrence Kovacs
"27. Reaching"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"28. Body and Soul"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
SOLD 27. Reaching
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
sold
"29. Divine Standing"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of Larry LaFontaine
"30. Mines of Diamonds"
12" x 6.5" x 2" (open)
2005
Collection of the Artist