Artist Statement
My choices as an artist are keenly infuenced my relationship with nature. Introduced to Rachael Carson's, A Sense of Wonder a number of years ago, I was delighted to find my own sense of awe and delight in the magic of outdoors so elegantly described. Like Carson, I view nature as a "source of strength" and renewal. I'm disturbed by modern trends that alienate us more and more from the natural world and ignore even our own basic bio rhythms. Life is increasingly characterized by "the marketplace", job and financial stress, and immersion in gadgets and virtual reality.When I paint, I try share the beauty and value I find in the natural world around me.
While I enjoy many styles and forms of art, realism matches my "hard wiring" and reflects a strong reverence for the subject matter. Realism comes slowly, with scenes built in multiple layers and translucent glazes. Sometimes I find the "beauty is in the details." Then, I focus sharply, use tight strokes, and paint photoreal images of butterfly wings, flowers, or shadow patterns, blending edges with soft brushes. In other scenes, I relax the focus and intensity of realism somewhat to emphasize the color or light or texture or rhythm in a landscape. While nature is my "star", I occasionally include a man made structure that shares a special harmony with the landscape, or perhaps, catches the light in a intriguing way.