Deluge, Four White Rivers Falling into Pool
Deluge, Four White Rivers Falling into Pool

The first painting in the Deluge Series. I was finishing a series of drawings of water, and starting to paint again, muddling along. Then, in the middle of the night, I woke from a dream of four white rivers falling into a pool, and went into the studio and started painting this image new to me. Thinking about the effects of global warming on water, I continued paintings of water, all on 40” x 30”canvases. Later I moved on to larger 48” x 36” canvases, always vertical so water could flow. Golden paint on canvas, 40” x 30”, finished 11.15.2016

Deluge, Blue Icemelt Torrents
Deluge, Blue Icemelt Torrents

I first made several paintings of water falling in either receda green or blue. Golden paints on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 6.22.2018

Place of Peace, Oil Begins
Place of Peace, Oil Begins

Our almost mythic past world, a place of peace. Invasion of black oil begins. 48" x 48", Golden paints on canvas, finished 10.12.21

Deluge, Blood Fall, Waterfall, Black Oil Pooling
Deluge, Blood Fall, Waterfall, Black Oil Pooling

I drew and painted water for a long time to represent the effects of global warming. Once I realized that this crisis was caused by burning oil releasing carbon dioxide into the air I started adding oil and blood - a symbol of the effect of burning oil – to my paintings. Golden paint on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 3.21.2020

Deluge, Blood Cut Cliffs, Rivers of Burning Blood
Deluge, Blood Cut Cliffs, Rivers of Burning Blood

I began paintings that imaged the suffering of the planet. Here Cliffs are cut, and in the next example cliffs are flayed. Thank you to Bill for telling me that this was not simply blood, but burning blood. 48" x 36", Golden paints on canvas, finished Friday the Thirteenth, 9.13.24.

Flayed Cliffs, Scars, Oil, Blood
Flayed Cliffs, Scars, Oil, Blood

An image of our Earth, flayed and scarred with streams of oil and blood, like the flaying of human martyrs. Michelangelo made his self portrait as St. Bartholomew holding his removed skin, and Titian painted the flayed satyr Marsyas, who dared challenge Apollo. 40" x 30", Golden paints on canvas, finished 3.11.2024

Deluge, Burning Sky, Pure Water Flowing into a Polluted Sea
Deluge, Burning Sky, Pure Water Flowing into a Polluted Sea

I remembered the heat of our recent “summer” and older memories of something very different: pure cool water. Once, high in the mountains of Colorado, I was in a place where snow melted and a perfect river began. Here pure water flows down desiccated hills to a polluted sea. 48” x 36”, Golden paints on canvas, finished on 1.4.25.

This is painted in memory of my sister Cynthia Anderson.

The pure water is Cynthia.

Deluge, Flowers Blooming in Fire
Deluge, Flowers Blooming in Fire

When fire swept through Los Angeles I had a vision of burnt, oil-black flowers bursting from the burning earth. The deluge of burning oil brought the heat and drought that dried plants to tinder. Now fire seasons are longer, and fires are larger. In the first part of 2026, an area the size of Texas, California and Montana burned around the planet. Golden paint on canvas. 48” x 36”, finished 1.13.2025

Deluge, Oil Spill
Deluge, Oil Spill

I continued to paint many visions of global warming. This is one: a traditional view of ocean and coast – but now invaded by the spreading black lines of heavy crude oil, another tanker disaster. For this painting I envisioned icy blues and greens I couldn’t mix with my limited palette, so I bought Thalo Blue and Thalo Green, colors I had not used in years. My friend Star likes the liminal moonlight. Maureen says it reminds her of when Arthur would take her out on the boat at night off the shore of Cape Cod. 48” x 36”, Golden paints on canvas, Finished 3.19.25

Deluge, Pure Water, Three Peaks, After the Oil is Gone
Deluge, Pure Water, Three Peaks, After the Oil is Gone

A possible future? Golden paint on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 1.29.2022

Deluge, Four White Rivers Falling into Pool
Deluge, Blue Icemelt Torrents
Place of Peace, Oil Begins
Deluge, Blood Fall, Waterfall, Black Oil Pooling
Deluge, Blood Cut Cliffs, Rivers of Burning Blood
Flayed Cliffs, Scars, Oil, Blood
Deluge, Burning Sky, Pure Water Flowing into a Polluted Sea
Deluge, Flowers Blooming in Fire
Deluge, Oil Spill
Deluge, Pure Water, Three Peaks, After the Oil is Gone
Deluge, Four White Rivers Falling into Pool

The first painting in the Deluge Series. I was finishing a series of drawings of water, and starting to paint again, muddling along. Then, in the middle of the night, I woke from a dream of four white rivers falling into a pool, and went into the studio and started painting this image new to me. Thinking about the effects of global warming on water, I continued paintings of water, all on 40” x 30”canvases. Later I moved on to larger 48” x 36” canvases, always vertical so water could flow. Golden paint on canvas, 40” x 30”, finished 11.15.2016

Deluge, Blue Icemelt Torrents

I first made several paintings of water falling in either receda green or blue. Golden paints on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 6.22.2018

Place of Peace, Oil Begins

Our almost mythic past world, a place of peace. Invasion of black oil begins. 48" x 48", Golden paints on canvas, finished 10.12.21

Deluge, Blood Fall, Waterfall, Black Oil Pooling

I drew and painted water for a long time to represent the effects of global warming. Once I realized that this crisis was caused by burning oil releasing carbon dioxide into the air I started adding oil and blood - a symbol of the effect of burning oil – to my paintings. Golden paint on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 3.21.2020

Deluge, Blood Cut Cliffs, Rivers of Burning Blood

I began paintings that imaged the suffering of the planet. Here Cliffs are cut, and in the next example cliffs are flayed. Thank you to Bill for telling me that this was not simply blood, but burning blood. 48" x 36", Golden paints on canvas, finished Friday the Thirteenth, 9.13.24.

Flayed Cliffs, Scars, Oil, Blood

An image of our Earth, flayed and scarred with streams of oil and blood, like the flaying of human martyrs. Michelangelo made his self portrait as St. Bartholomew holding his removed skin, and Titian painted the flayed satyr Marsyas, who dared challenge Apollo. 40" x 30", Golden paints on canvas, finished 3.11.2024

Deluge, Burning Sky, Pure Water Flowing into a Polluted Sea

I remembered the heat of our recent “summer” and older memories of something very different: pure cool water. Once, high in the mountains of Colorado, I was in a place where snow melted and a perfect river began. Here pure water flows down desiccated hills to a polluted sea. 48” x 36”, Golden paints on canvas, finished on 1.4.25.

This is painted in memory of my sister Cynthia Anderson.

The pure water is Cynthia.

Deluge, Flowers Blooming in Fire

When fire swept through Los Angeles I had a vision of burnt, oil-black flowers bursting from the burning earth. The deluge of burning oil brought the heat and drought that dried plants to tinder. Now fire seasons are longer, and fires are larger. In the first part of 2026, an area the size of Texas, California and Montana burned around the planet. Golden paint on canvas. 48” x 36”, finished 1.13.2025

Deluge, Oil Spill

I continued to paint many visions of global warming. This is one: a traditional view of ocean and coast – but now invaded by the spreading black lines of heavy crude oil, another tanker disaster. For this painting I envisioned icy blues and greens I couldn’t mix with my limited palette, so I bought Thalo Blue and Thalo Green, colors I had not used in years. My friend Star likes the liminal moonlight. Maureen says it reminds her of when Arthur would take her out on the boat at night off the shore of Cape Cod. 48” x 36”, Golden paints on canvas, Finished 3.19.25

Deluge, Pure Water, Three Peaks, After the Oil is Gone

A possible future? Golden paint on canvas, 48” x 36”, finished 1.29.2022

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