Storm Over the Castle Painting

In some respects, I have become a chronicler of empty spaces. I don't believe that a place ever loses its human presence. People live, die, or move on, but their spirit remains. We leave something of ourselves behind in the spaces we inhabit, either in the physical changes we make, or because of the dings and dents of time. Therefore, in a sense, there are no real empty spaces.     I also paint the western landscape in all its boundless variety, from distant peaks to the sparse plains of eastern Colorado, with their mixture of use and abuse. In my work in contemporary realism I try to capture the meaning of the Latin phrase: finitum capax infiniti, -- the finite is capable of the infinite -- which means that there is no access to the infinite except through the finite. It is an apt description of how I feel about our connection to the material world, especially our changing western landscape. For a good explanation of my artistic thought process, please read this interview in The Denver Dart: Awards: 3rd Place Juror's Award, 2019 All Colorado Art Show, Curtis Center for the Arts - Greenwood Village, CO Honorable Mention, 2018 Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Forney Museum - Denver Merit Award, 2015 Governor's Show - Loveland, CO 1st Place, Oil Painting, 2009 Lone Tree Art Exhibition - Lone Tree, CO Mastery of Media Award, 2008 Summer Art Market - Denver Best in Show, 2007 Lone Tree Art Exhibition - Lone Tree, CO  2nd Place, Works on Canvas, 2006 Lone Tree Art Exhibition - Lone Tree, CO  City of Castle Rock purchased painting for their collection, September, 2004  1st Place Fine Art, 2003 Crested Butte Festival of the Arts - Crested Butte, CO  Honorable Mention, 2003 Pastel Journal "Pastel 100"  Purchase Award, 2003 Englewood Arts National Fine Art Exhibition - Englewood, CO  Best Pastel Painting, 2002 Fall Art Festival - Glenwood Springs, CO  Best Non-Figurative Drawing, 2002 Linear Simplicity Show, Zwolf Gallery - Denver  Finalist, 2002 Delta Dental Holiday Card Competition - Denver  Honorable Mention, 2001 NCAA National Art Exhibition  People's Choice Award, 2000 Artists of Colorado V - Denver  1st & 3rd Place Pastels, 2000 Artists of Colorado V - Denver  Holbein Award, 2000 National Pastel Painting Exhibition - Albuquerque, NM  Honorable Mention, TVAL 2000 Regional Art Show - Loveland, CO