Here is what he has to say :
I've been showing my new paintings and collage every year since about 1996. I started showing at Leonardo's 706 when i washed dishes there. Local artist and wild man, Lennie Kesl, would always come see my show and give me encouragement and advice. Later when I opened Satchel's, Lennie thought it would be a good idea if we showed our art together every December and January. We had a show together every year since Satchel's opened.
Last year Lennie had a fall and died at the age of 86. He and I were a week away from hanging our annual show. I was able to borrow some of Lennie's works and hang that show without him. He is sorely missed as there seems to be a spark that has gone out in this town.
Lennie would often give me boxes of scrap material and wallpaper samples for collage. I always seemed to have some collage material of my own to use and so those boxes collected dust. But this year I started through them and have created the bulk of my collages this year from material given to me by Lennie. In honor of him I have worked three times as hard as usual to make over 20 pieces to fill the restaurant with all new works never before displayed.
Lennie always seemed to work 3 times as hard as anyone else and seemed to do about 3 times as much stuff as other folks. He was a sweet and funny old fellow.
I am excited to display these 2013 works. I feel I have covered some old ground in my simple paintings, and explored deep into new territory with some of the more intricate and colorful collages. These works eagerly express where I go when I slip out to my studio for some "unpacking." It's as if I sort my unconscious over and over into shapes and colors, fabrics and patterns. Some days are busy and manic, others are simple and easy. I hope you find something in them.
Satch
