Safe Harbor Painting

Working as a scenic artist in Los Angeles for film and television heightened my deep appreciation for materials and surfaces. My exposure to the industry also got my paintings featured on sets of commercials, television and in movies. I now live on Martha's Vineyard and work in my studio surrounded by ocean, twisted oak trees and old stone walls covered in stunning moss and lichens. These paintings are inspired by observations of my surroundings. Those moments when I am struck by the peculiar color of a moss, where the horizon meets the water or the difference in quality between a forest and the expanse of the ocean. I distill the essence of these sensory experiences through color, materials and emphasis of texture. I start with a notion and a piece of wood. As I add and subtract layers, imagery emerges. Each layer serves to amend the statement made by the surfaces laid down before. The resulting depth brings the piece closer to the ideal expression of the notion. These paintings are puzzles. The solution comes through the process.