Untitled Print

I start each painting with a pencil sketch on the canvas and choose paint colors as I see the image develop in my mind. Even though birds are terrestrial I am heavily influenced by the strata of the ocean, and always envision the layers of the painting and personality of the final image as rising up steadily from the seabed through the trenches, abyss, midnight and twilight zones, and finally appearing whole and complete at the surface sunlight zone. After my initial sketch I work on the background, the bird eye, and finally the body, feathers, and highlights. My previous projects include a series of abstract collagraphs inspired by my diving experiences and stories of Atlantic wreck divers and the visibility and safety concerns they encounter, and a series of mixed media images of incongruously-placed details. My mother, Jackie, motivated me to start painting birds. She is an avid birdwatcher in the Northeast, and her enthusiasm encouraged my creativity. I grew up in Ithaca, New York, and enjoy spending time outdoors there and in Seattle, where I currently reside. I have a BA in Fine Art and am a licensed attorney in Washington and New York.