My artistic training began early at the side of my grandparents, both professional photographers. Initially they taught me basic skills for operating a camera, using an enlarger and developing prints.

 

As I grew older they began to stress the importance of well-considered composition, perspective, and spatial relationships. In short, how to start seeing the world as an artist.

 

I furthered my training at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. Strong mentors and professors taught me necessary skills while pushing me to take risks and find my own visual voice.

 

My voice is not static. It’s evolving; sometimes in little increments and other times in big jumps. I try to stay open to new ideas, approaches and even paint applications. On one painting I was getting too fussy with my brushwork so I started painting with cardboard.

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I take inspiration from the light, colors, shapes, and shadows of my surroundings. I also concentrate on mood and tone.

 

My paintings are rarely a straight-up vision of reality. Instead, they represent my reflections on the elements I find most interesting or critical.

 

I work most often with oil paints and use brushes, palette knives, cardboard, and other tools to keep my paintings loose and not over-worked. I want viewers to see my vision, however, I also want them to find their own discoveries. Is that a standup paddle boarder on the lake or is it a reflection of a tree?

 

What do you see?