My artwork has a decidedly peripatetic
quality to it because no matter where I go paintings emerge from every
journey. Each painting begins because of the way light falls on a
particular scene. Further inspiration comes from the history, colors
and textures of a place; how the day feels - as in temperature, wind
or calm, sun or storm. My paintings of the sea are meant to be meditative
and reflect the time I spend near or on the water. Cities are energizing
so my urban work reflects that energy and I clearly have a real passion
for European cities with all their angles and colors. My first love
has always been landscape and I feel at home in dense woods or open
fields.
I use every tool and technique I've learned
to fit what the painting and subject require. Some pieces need a soft,
smooth approach while others demand boldness and texture. Drawing
is hugely important to me so my process is always to begin with a
sketch often surrounded by narrative and notes about color or as a
watercolor, then moves to canvas. However, works on paper frequently
have a finished beauty all their own so there are many times when
the watercolor ends up being complete in itself instead of being a
sketch for a future painting. I tend to work serially doing runs of
paintings on a particular theme, spinning out an idea often returning
to favorite themes.