I had to make up a word to describe my artwork. Rooted in tradition yet new, the word “fluidikon” was born out of a need to quickly describe my artwork. It was inspired by a desire to redo many Russian ikons in my one line wire style. Fluid: as in water, flowing across the painting surface, meandering like a stream revealing its secret. Icon: from the Greek word 'eikon' meaning 'image', and also alludes to its meaning as a devotional vehicle for the Orthodox and Byzantine churches - “a window to the soul”.

What started out as doodles from philosophy class, developed into more cohesive drawings that use only one continuous line. After hearing repeatedly that I needed to work in a larger scale, I turned to wire to bring my drawings to life. Listening to the material was the key to understanding what the wire would and would not do. Once the method of attaching the wire to the painting surface was achieved, I was able to realize my dream of a unique art form. I call my wire paintings: FLUIDIKONS. A line that tells a story, relates a message, sends a prayer.

My work arises from a need to visualize and document my spiritual journey. Other artworks stem from a love of nature, mixed media and found objects. Every object, from a chair to a thumbtack, has multiple layers of meaning, subtext, and history inherent to the object, each with its own vibration. Exploring new contexts for object symbols in my artwork, I hope that the energy I receive from my work is something that can be shared with the viewer 

Born the seventh child of a seventh child on St. Patrick's Day, 1972, I have always had a tingle in my hands for making things. From making big mega-cities using every toy and piece of nature available as a toddler, to leather and wood crafts in Boy Scouts, to jewelry making as a teenager, to my current pursuits, I have always enjoyed the creative process. It was in college that the artistic NEED became apparent to me. A newly refurbished pottery shop was the door opener to unleash the creative fire that was always within. Although my terra-cotta sculptures were horribly "70's crude", it began the learning process for me that has continued and expanded into a love of learning every medium I can get my hands on, though wire has certainly become my medium of choice.

I grew up in Muncie, Indiana. After getting a BA in History from St. Meinrad College, Indiana, I joined the Benedictine monastery at St Meinrad. After spending 2 introspective and fulfilling years as a monk, I discerned that although I could stay and be content as Br. Wolfgang, my journey must lead elsewhere and that I needed to cut my own path.  I moved to St. Louis not knowing a single person and began anew. It was living alone for the first time in St. Louis that really propelled my art production. My first showing came in a juried group show for Art St. Louis. I had my first solo art show at the Vault Gallery in the Midtown Arts Center called, "Spiritual Surrealism". Other solo shows include the beautiful library gallery at St. Meinrad, IN, the Spiritual Art Gallery in Inspirations, Louisville, KY (Read a review of the show HERE), Gallery 331 in Mishawaka, IN and recent group shows at the Peter Jones Gallery, and with the Edgewater Arts Group.