Massive Summer Oak Painting

The majesty and beauty of the fragile earth is a muse - if I can capture its depth, energy and preciousness, I can share that and heighten awareness of it’s fleeting uniqueness. The ethereal, soft and dramatic sequences of paint I apply suggest rapidly changing light; earthly upheavals; uncontrolled forces. The fluid paint has a mind of its own; yet in subtle ways it can be directed for the better of the whole. Rather than trying to control every aspect of the pigments, I find it much more enjoyable to let the paint find its own way, like water does as it forms a stream or mountains do as they respond to internal forces in undulate shapes and sizes. Painting provides a sense of peace and productivity that is unmatched. I feel a profound reverence for nature and have a heightened sense of urgency driving me to engage people through my work. I immerse myself in natural surroundings, finding a deep connection to the mountains, the waterfalls, oceans and skies. First I hike, paint plein air, then take observations back to the studio to create a personal response to the experience. I seek to prompt people to relish their interactions with nature and the world: politically, physically and emotionally. Ultimately, I want my work to elicit a positive, meditative response in the viewer, leaving them with positive feelings about the earth and its extraordinary fragile beauty.