Sonoma Painting

I am interested in exploring the intersection of abstraction and representation, particularly in plant-inspired subjects set within imagined habitats. My paintings extend organic forms into abstracted environments and dreamlike landscapes, where I play with depth, line, and layering to create a sense of movement and spatial ambiguity. As part of my process, I analyze and interpret organic materials, using them as a foundation for creative exploration. I work primarily in oil paint, drawing inspiration from organic imagery. Unlike acrylic, oil allows for extended manipulation, enabling me to build subtle transitions and nuanced gradations across the canvas. In my recent series, Imagined Landscapes, I did not aim to replicate plants or real-world scenery. Instead, I created dreamscapes inspired by garden visits and the natural forms I observed. I do not reference photographs in the studio; I rely entirely on memory and imagination, painting what comes to mind rather than what I see. Color plays a central role in how I merge organic ideas with abstract forms. My study of fine art included focused research into color theory, drawing on the work of influential thinkers such as Johannes Itten, Josef Albers, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Their theories continue to inform my choices around color relationships, spatial tension, and composition. I explore the balance between flatness and depth—both in my development of shape and in how space is constructed within the painting. These decisions around color, shape, and space energize and drive the overall composition of my work.