b. Washington, DC

“One by one, million by million, in the prescience of dawn, every leaf in that part of the world was moved.” – James Agee

My work references landscape and how I perceive place. A secondary objective is to show that while superb areas of natural beauty still remain in most of the country, these are threatened by rapid development and encroachment. Like shamanistic practice, my paintings often represent animistic principles in terms of a collusion on canvas between nature and innermost emotions. My system originates from the inspiration of form and light on any given day, in space and a specific place, and then being surprised by transformation as the painting moves into its final stage. The framework of the painting holds the essence of light and color in a landscape and nature and makes that a meditation or metaphor of existential experience.

I’ve lived in Atlanta, San Francisco, the Midwest and now southeastern Pennsylvania. The Atlanta series echoes twenty years that I spent in the city, working from nature, dreams and an emotional response to the lushness and soul of the south. The Golden Gate Park series concentrates on the intense light and colors of the West Coast and reflects the beauty of the west coast’s sea, parks and wilderness areas. The Midwest series references agrarian landscapes and sometimes a more muted palette. My most recent work concentrates on the region near my home in Pennsylvania and also includes paintings and sketches begun on vacations to rugged terrain like the mountains of British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

In the fall of 2007, I spent almost a month of intense independent study at an artist’s residency in Italy, painting the olive groves, rivers and fields, exploring ruins of semi-abandoned monasteries turned into private abodes. I found great inspiration there from the community’s obvious sense of place and respect for the artist’s hand.