I’ve been creating art all my life. After college, I worked primarily in watercolor for thirty years. Then I began working and experimenting with soft pastels, oil pastels, acrylics, and oils.
Oil painting is by far my favorite. I love the creamy richness and the color depth it allows. I attempt to capture the essence of the subject by depicting accurate color, shape, and value.
I enjoy painting realistically, as well as abstractly. Many times, I allow the paint to do the work. My intention is to produce a good painting using the classic elements of good drawing, accurate lighting, and correct perspective. I strive for a painterly quality and not an exact rendition of my subject matter. The Impressionists painters have had a strong influence on my painting style. I admire their use of color and light and adherence to less is more.
In painting abstractly, I still begin with a realistic base from which I evolve the painting. Every painting has its challenges and I learn something new from each one. Whether painting realistically or abstractly, I try to engage and involve the viewer.
The Peninsula is a great source of inspiration for both styles of painting. The beautiful skies, golden beaches, ever-changing water, and dramatic shadows are all an artist could ask for. I feel very fortunate to be a painter and to have art such an integral part of my life.
