Consisting of 15 paintings and 1 drawing, my work from the series, OH! Home portrays many local businesses that are located near my now hometown of Hamilton, OH.  While I began this series in 2018, the brunt of the work has been completed since February of 2020.  Because of this, the work has taken on new meaning as each painting is representative not only of a place I love but of a small business that has invariably been threatened by the economic consequences wrought by Covid-19.  

All of these places - Bill's Donuts, Dino's Coffee, Hyde's Diner, John Hall Body Shop, etc. are not only connected by their proximity and the threat to their existence posed by Covid-19 but also by the use of wood paneling in their interiors which initially drew me to these places.  When I was younger, I was adamantly opposed to the use of wood paneling as a design choice because I found it provincial and cliche.  However, as I have aged I have come to appreciate the feelings wood paneling elicits, especially its connection to the idea of hominess.  This change in attitude from hostility to admiration is what initially inspired this series and this celebration of changing one's mind is integral to the meaning of the work.  

---