I had been a wildlife artist for many years before becoming addicted to cinder block walls. My family had encouraged me many times to do a painting of my dog, Ginger. Since I enjoy painting objects out of their normal environment, I had the idea to float Ginger in front of a beautifully shaded block wall. I proudly showed the finished work to my family. They thought it was the most ridiculous painting they had ever seen. They just don't get it.

To achieve this combination of styles, I first painted the cave drawing (from Lascaux) and the cinder block wall. Like all my work, it is painted in acrylic on silk. I then covered areas with masking tape that I wanted to be seen in the completed painting. After taping, I covered the entire surface with gesso and painted the graffiti tag. When I removed the masking tape, the cave drawing underneath was revealed. To complete the illusion and to add depth, I added a shadow and highlight to all these cut-outs. So, two paintings for the price of one. What a deal.