Artist's Statement
Both of my parents were visual artists. My dad expressed himself through landscapes and my mother through flower arranging. Collectively, as a family, we would design and build landscapes. Every tree, shrub, and plant was selected not only for its color but also for its shape and form and its ability to enhance the overall design. We designed large areas that tapered into intimate private paths...made bold statements by planting en masse...varied warm and cool greens...varied bark texture and leaf patterns...pruned the plants into sculptural shapes. Mystery was also a part of the plan...your visitor needs to want to explore around the corner.
This was the foundation of my training to see like an artist and how I learned about design/composition. Now all I needed to learn was painting technique. How hard could that be? Well, it’s been 20 years and I’m still learning. Visiting museums and galleries helps me understand how other artists handled various subjects. I’ve studied with many local artists and continue to seek the critiques of my peers. And the most important part of my ongoing study is self-taught through experimentation. I always allow myself to evolve and change the way I express myself and allow the subject of a painting and the feeling I’m trying to portray dictate the medium and the style I choose.
My paintings are a loose interpretation of realism and sometimes an abstraction of the subject. The representational aspects provide a framework while the abstraction gives depth and intrigue to the rendering. I believe this complementary relationship enhances the piece.
The details in a painting aren’t as important to me as is the composition. When composition and values, i.e., light and dark, are strong, the details take care of themselves, and the beauty of the forms “speak”. My process is to allow the work to emerge by not limiting it with description. The painting takes on a life of its own making its own demands, and a conversation between myself and the piece begins. It’s a little like a dance.
This was the foundation of my training to see like an artist and how I learned about design/composition. Now all I needed to learn was painting technique. How hard could that be? Well, it’s been 20 years and I’m still learning. Visiting museums and galleries helps me understand how other artists handled various subjects. I’ve studied with many local artists and continue to seek the critiques of my peers. And the most important part of my ongoing study is self-taught through experimentation. I always allow myself to evolve and change the way I express myself and allow the subject of a painting and the feeling I’m trying to portray dictate the medium and the style I choose.
My paintings are a loose interpretation of realism and sometimes an abstraction of the subject. The representational aspects provide a framework while the abstraction gives depth and intrigue to the rendering. I believe this complementary relationship enhances the piece.
The details in a painting aren’t as important to me as is the composition. When composition and values, i.e., light and dark, are strong, the details take care of themselves, and the beauty of the forms “speak”. My process is to allow the work to emerge by not limiting it with description. The painting takes on a life of its own making its own demands, and a conversation between myself and the piece begins. It’s a little like a dance.