I have lived in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area most of my life, and love wandering local parks and gardens, sometimes accompanied by family or friends.  These experiences are often the focus of my painting.

 

I usually work in a series to explore the same motif, returning in different seasons and times of day.  I work from sketches, my photographs, and "en plein air" when possible.

 

I usually start with an underpainting, sometimes with unexpected color to create a lively surface with added colors.  I develop light and dark patterns, and enjoy the "push and pull" of colors as they play with and against developing atmosphere, mood, and the illusion of space.

 

I am not interested in a literal representation of the subject, but I attempt to capture the totality of felt meaning in the dance of flatness against depth, light against dark, opaqueness against transparency, boldness against the delicate, rhythm against stillness.  I love the physical qualities of oil paint, and I love the dance of creating.