I worked as a billboard painter for many years. Once a board had completed its run on the street, it would come back to the factory in order to be used again.

   Part of the process was to scrape off as much of the old image as possible in preparation for the new image.

     Most often, large sections would come off in stiff, enamel sheets, hit the floor and break into much smaller pieces, thereby loosing all their history and previous identity. They became something new, ugly and beautiful.

   I collected these chips in large boxes and brought them back to my studio. I would then lay peculiar shape next to or on peculiar shape and glue them down on 8 x 10 inch canvases.

     These little "Chippies" are more about chance and composition than anything else and were the catalyst for a series of larger paintings.
 
                                       Click here to see the larger paintings.