I started this series as an exercise using a couple of pieces of candy from works by Felix Gonzales-Torres. They are oil on 6×8″ wood panels. My friend Zachary urged me to push the idea a little further, so I perused the candy aisle of the grocery store, bought a few models, painted the ones I liked, and ate those I didn’t.
The allure/challenge with these pieces was reflections and transparencies, and the rich colors. Reflective surfaces are difficult to map out and depend a great deal on subtleties of value. However, when done correctly, I find them rewarding.
I also enjoyed that I didn’t have to think much about the idea. I had a pile of candies to choose from, and a pile of painting surfaces ready to go. But the danger I see in pushing this series much further is falling it a groove of formulaic repetition.
The sweet-hearts was a one-off done on Valentine’s day.
adam's art work 