By using hand tools in my paintings I am honoring the human, the working class and it’s system of signs, symbols, tools and structures bringing both the hand and the tool, the human and the work, into the hierarchy of art making. Tools are used by the working class. A tool itself is used by a human being. Tools evoke physical labor. A tool is held by a person’s hand. Using it correctly requires knowledge of the use of that tool and a reason to use that tool. The physical body’s survival on this planet has depended upon the command of hand tools to build shelter, hunt prey, farm land, bury the dead, cook food, etc. As we devolve into virtual reality and watch as the distribution of wealth is diverted away from the working class, hand tools remind us of the reality that human survival depends on a keen grasp of the actual world and a love of real, hard physical work. 

Oil on Canvas • 2021 - 2022 • most are framed

contact val@civilianart.com for info and availability