From the North

The inspiration for this painting comes from Seth's surroundings. As a child, he grew up on a New Jersey farm surrounded by animals. His spiritual background in Anglicanism and Methodism and his passionate involvement with the LGBT community harmonizes with my creative drive for expression and his academic training. Seth's work has a classical sensibility with contemporary color and composition. He strives to go beyond creating likeness or surface description by expressing a momentary relationship to the subject, informed by a collection of past experiences.

The landscape in this image was taken from a snapshot of the Appalachian trail above the frost line, reminding Seth of Jeremiah’s note about the flock coming down “from the north.” Also remembering his visit to a sheep field in Martha’s Vineyard, Seth notes that animals have always held a tender spot in his heart.

Seth's landscapes, portraits and collaborations often simultaneously explore ideas about the exceptional and the mundane, creating a natural space for him to explore the ironic relationship between (biblical) sheep and their Shepherd. When viewed through human lenses, Seth see an anomaly in the relationship of the Shepherd and his sheep: that such a vulnerable animal would have implicit trust in its leader, following unquestionably. Thus, the surrounding verses in Jeremiah’s passage hint that there may be some trouble for this flock.