Joseph Gretsch

CAT KING.

The impetus for these and most other of my pictures was lifework as a clinical psychologist in remote locations such as southern Arizona, Hawaii, northern New York and rural Oregon and Washington. In these settings digital photography and the opportunity for new creation it provided were welcome companions, and resulted in the abstract compositions now set before you. The images are best given study, rather than just one look. They are compositions of digital sections repeatedly mirrored against one another, ultimately creating surreal images that when seen closer contain other images within—images with boundaries that seem to connect and reconnect in various ways with other images, thus creating new images. Figureground reversals can be seen, similar to those in a psychology text where, as if in preparation for our contemporary culture, outlines of boxes that once seemed to point upward, without moving seemed actually to point downward. These figures, however, are not of boxes but of faces that seem from fairy tales or science fiction stories. The pictures are therefore named Little Green Men, The Grandmothers, Vacuum Cleaner Bots, Watson Himself and the Cat King. The faces of these wonderful people often seem to have an

GRANDMAS.

emotional reaction to the observer. The Little Green Men seem to have an intelligent curiosity. The Grandmothers seem vulnerable, withdrawn but strong. The Vacuum Cleaner Bots are reporting for work, and Watson Himself seems ebullient, a healthy extravert, congenial and interested. The Cat King is solemn and alert. Within these fey outlines there are smaller images; imps, trolls and fairies, who also seem emotional— mischievous, angry, lustful or torpid, as they wend. Not all, but some of them will seem to wink in and out of existence. They will gladly entertain you for 1001 Nights! goodpsych@yahoo.com