ARTIST STATEMENT
abstract work
I see myself foremost as a colorist. There is a strong intuitive process to how I approach my abstract work. I begin with a very general road map. As I create subtle markings and shapes, I let them lead me down a familiar, but new path. These elements that emerge, reminiscent of boats, figures or cottages, recur throughout my body of work. This emotional place I inhabit is rooted in my subconscious, the world I escape to in my dreams. I let the imagery and color harmonies guide me, as I layer indistinct and isolated structures. Often a ghost image, or faint trace of something, makes its way into the final painting. These abstract works represent transitional times, desires and longings for a sense of family, home and community.
landscapes
I spent my childhood on the beaches of Florida and 20 years painting in northern California, where the Big Sur coast captured my attention. Living in the Shenandoah Valley has rekindled my interest in landscape painting and exploring the effects of sunlight. My work reveals my fascination with the abstract qualities of water and the beautiful pageantry of colors that appear in the sky and mountains.
Making art allows me to focus on the beauty that surrounds us, connecting me to a profound joy. It’s my way of serving others with purpose and passion. I turn to nature to be nurtured and to have a sense of being grounded. I believe we all need the embrace of place, the memory of a sweeter time. It’s my hope that my paintings will transport you there, again and again.
Joaquin Sorolla, the Spanish master, declared in 1912: "Is it any wonder that modern painters love the study of sunlight? Light is the life of everything it touches".
abstract work
I see myself foremost as a colorist. There is a strong intuitive process to how I approach my abstract work. I begin with a very general road map. As I create subtle markings and shapes, I let them lead me down a familiar, but new path. These elements that emerge, reminiscent of boats, figures or cottages, recur throughout my body of work. This emotional place I inhabit is rooted in my subconscious, the world I escape to in my dreams. I let the imagery and color harmonies guide me, as I layer indistinct and isolated structures. Often a ghost image, or faint trace of something, makes its way into the final painting. These abstract works represent transitional times, desires and longings for a sense of family, home and community.
landscapes
I spent my childhood on the beaches of Florida and 20 years painting in northern California, where the Big Sur coast captured my attention. Living in the Shenandoah Valley has rekindled my interest in landscape painting and exploring the effects of sunlight. My work reveals my fascination with the abstract qualities of water and the beautiful pageantry of colors that appear in the sky and mountains.
Making art allows me to focus on the beauty that surrounds us, connecting me to a profound joy. It’s my way of serving others with purpose and passion. I turn to nature to be nurtured and to have a sense of being grounded. I believe we all need the embrace of place, the memory of a sweeter time. It’s my hope that my paintings will transport you there, again and again.
Joaquin Sorolla, the Spanish master, declared in 1912: "Is it any wonder that modern painters love the study of sunlight? Light is the life of everything it touches".