Artist Statement

Quiet, remote places and unusual perspectives inspire my art. The isolated cove on the coast of Maine, an ancient cork forest in Tuscany, old growth redwoods, memories, emotions, music – all of these and more become rich sources for my work. Space and time are also important influences. The physical spaces that make up perceptions, the infinitesimal moments of time that make up an experience, the layers of memory that color the present – all are expressed in my work.

Most recently, I have been working primarily with oil paint and cold wax medium. I build layer after layer in a painting, often incorporating other media such as pigment sticks, charcoal, or collage. The composition evolves with intention and happy accident. The surface becomes complex with visual and physical texture. The creative process often happens spontaneously with vigorous scraping and mark making. Other times I am more deliberate, with self-imposed constraints like grids and time. Daily practices and monthly projects become ways to seek out the unexpected.

Working with cold wax medium has helped me evolve to a new place and abstraction in my art. The physicality and luminosity of the surface are both liberating and challenging. Initially, I struggled to accept that earlier layers in a painting would be covered up and disappear. I realize now that this is an appropriate metaphor for life: the present built on a series of moments, experiences, and memories. That is what I want my art to capture.