Artist Statement

I paint to express my passion for the spirit and energy I find in a place or a moment, especially in the natural world. I have experienced the deep silence of wilderness and the renewal in Nature throughout a lifetime of outdoor exploration and meditation. I believe both Nature and Quietude are at risk because we are less connected to this stillness, and we are less connected to ourselves. I make paintings to honor both.

Whether rowing a sportyak on the San Juan River in Utah, hiking Mt. Brandon in Ireland, or backpacking in the Sierra Nevadas, I am inspired by the patterns, textures, and colors in sandstone layers, tree bark, patches of moss, or the ridges and slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am fascinated by how the moments in the outer landscape, combined with my own inner landscape, come together to fuel my creative process.

I often begin painting with a color or shape of a wilderness terrain, but I follow the feeling of the developing piece in an organic, intuitive way. Using oil and cold wax medium, as well as other media, I create many thin layers on wood or panel. I love the process of building texture and depth to also reflect the layers of personal history and ancestry we bring to each moment. One gesture leads to the next, my imagination takes over, and color, shape, and line converge in an entirely new work. I have learned to trust and love this mystery.