This series was completed in 1998 and consists of 15 oil paintings, each 30" tall by 10" wide, painted and drawn in a variety of oil paint on panels made of wood and primed, sealed Masonite.  The series of paintings represents the growth and developmental stages of rice (Oryza sativa, L) and reflects the hands-on experience with rice I had during my MS where I studied the Greenhouse Effect on Rice for the EPA and IRRI (the International Rice Research Institute) in one of the five initial studies done in the U.S.  In subsequent published studies, although the vegetative growth of rice increased, in terms of the reproductive growth, there was over 99% unfilled grains across all 17 of the high-yielding rice varieties studied when rice was exposed to the elevated carbon dioxide and temperature treatments.  Imagine.  Over 50% of the world consumes rice as their daily staple food.  Imagine 99% fewer grains of rice for people to eat.

The above three paintings represent the normal development of rice during the tillering stage (left), the flowering stage (center), and a grain of rice which fell onto the soil sprouting (right).  Two of the 15 paintings (not shown) document how the rice plants in the experimental treatment (double the carbon dioxide and 4 degrees celsius higher for both the day and the night temperatures) looked.  They had male parts that were toasted, burnt-up brown as well as the subsequent panicles of unfilled grain.

The paintings have been exhibited in a solo show at Cafe Amadeus in Rockville Center, NY and at Kavehaz in Soho in NYC.  The series is available for traveling exhibition although the entire series has been purchased by a collector and is now privately owned.  Contact me to arrange a traveling exhibition of this series.