Ronald Ripple
©2010 Craig Ashby
Digital Photograph

Ronald Ripple are simple shots of an old McDonald’s glass from the seventies. Waiting in line to be washed. A simple set of shots that turned out better than if I had ran the picture through a Photoshop filter.

How would I even do that? Use a distortion mesh to create something organic? Or apply different standard distortions to different parts?

Sometimes it’s mostly about this kind of trickery. Something that looks like Photoshop but isn’t. Something greater than just being obvious.

If it were just Photoshop it would be too simple. I hate appearing too simple. It’s a trap I don’t want to fall into. So I avoid it as much as possible.

What do I do instead? I present paintings or collages that you can’t tell what they are. I show them as to emphasize the unreal aspect of current art and visual mediums.

I am less concerned about what conclusions you draw about how I created the work. Or even what the final work is. I am more concerned with process. It’s the ultimate goal of everything including life.

That’s why I talk more about where I was at when making these pieces. That is why I go off on tangents while showing the past. I am connecting a series of processes to show you why I am making these things.