"Margaret's Idaho" Painting

My paintings are inspired by the natural world and the interplay of light and dark in the sky and horizon lines. My work evokes a sense of wonder and contemplation, inviting the viewer to lose themselves in the vastness of the landscapes I portray. Through my use of color and value, I capture the essence of the world around us, from the subtle hues of a sunset to the deep blues of a stormy sea.
My creative process is carefully honed, involving multiple layers of acrylic paint on 300lb cold press watercolor paper or stretched canvas. I work on multiple pieces at once, taking black-and-white photos of places I have been to use as compositional references. These photos serve as a jumping-off point for my creative process, allowing me to experiment with color and atmosphere to create a mood within each piece.
One of the techniques I employ is called scumbling, using a dry brush to paint and take away paint, along with using t-shirt rags to add or subtract paint. I also use a satin medium for blending, creating a luminous and ethereal quality to the work. Through this process, I can create works that are not just representations of landscapes but are expressions of the emotions and sensations that those landscapes evoke in me.
What sets my work apart is my ability to capture the intangible qualities of nature, such as the atmosphere, air, water, and earth. My paintings are not merely representations of physical landscapes but rather expressions of the spiritual and emotional resonance that nature has on us all. Whether I am painting a memory of a place or creating an entirely new landscape, the work always carries with it a sense of reverence for the natural world.