Frank McCulley

  My roots in painting started in Realism. I developed a more photo-real style in graduate school. I use my own photos, sometimes arranged items, sometimes a natural scene.  I project the image for accuracy and use oil paint on canvas. Trying not to be a slave to photos, I might invent a surreal scene and paint  more folk-like. Sometimes I do an abstract based on a sketch, playing with color schemes. I choose a picture to paint for its basic visual appeal to me. It might be completely random without a message or agenda.
      I like architecture, landscapes, still lifes, portraits or anything I can imagine.  Some of my concentrated series have included carnivals, mall mannequins, store-front facades,and tin foilreflections
       The animal sculptures have a playful, sometimes mischievious aura. They are not exact replicas, a small creature may be enlarged or a large one reduced in size. Some people have called them whimsical, and I can accept that. I try to give them a personality. They are indoor pieces, not waterproof, but can be cleaned with dampened cloth. Some have delicate details, so caution is needed when moving or cleaning. They are all sturdily built with wire and mixed media and have a tough skin ("punch proof"). The armature is my first concern, then how I'm going to create features. They are painted with acrylics mixed with gel medium.