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"I
can't remember a time when I didn't want to be an artist, and was
fortunate to have gone to schools where drawing, design and craftmanship
were emphasized. After I graduated from college, I worked as a graphic
designer for many years before deciding to paint professionally. Since
that time, I have disciplined myself to go into the studio and spend
the hours so that my creative time has the structure I need to be
productive.
Although I paint from nature, there is a certain point when the painting
becomes something other than a representation of what I see. I use
certain themes that are not only visual, but are also metaphors for
life as I expereince it. The theme of floating leaves, for example,
has been part of my work for at least twenty years and is about change
and transcendence. We are part of nature and it will continue without
us, but something of our lives will be present even when our phusical
selves are gone.
The actual process of painting for me is tied more to viewpoint and
inner vision than to technique. I have to develop a sense of oneness
with my subject that comes from being still, listening and observing.
Once I have an idea and begin to paint, the work takes on a life of
it's own. It reflects my emotions, my observations, and my experience
as an artist. The colors I use are borrowed from the subjects I paint
but are translated into impressions and explorations of light. Some
days the light is subdued and the shadows soft, while on others, the
sunlight dancing on the leaves is clear, crisp and glowing. Often,
there is a sense of urgency in my work and I want to capture every
moment because am concerned about what we are doing to the world.
Will there be anything of beauty left to record after we have carved
our path of destruction, or will it only be memory. I paint what I
love, and hopefully these paintings will remind others to respect
and care for the environment and to observe each unique moment." |
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