Artist's Statement

The themes of my impressionistic oil paintings connect with family, nuture,and home: fruit, farms, tablescapes, lighthouses, animals, and, most recently, children at play and wedding images. Color, brushmarks, looseness, and composition are all important factors in my work. I love to see the subtle variations of color that are in real life, and then exaggerate and be playful with them. I strive for a "painterly" result, allowing the viewer to almost see the process: the brush strokes, the juiciness of the paint, and sometimes the canvas (after all, I'm creating a painting, not a photograph!). I love to paint on a canvas that is already full of color. First I create an underpainting, layering colors almost randomly. Often these colors inspire me in unexpected ways, allowing me to be more playful and loose. If you look closely you can sometimes see bits of the underpainting showing through a finished piece. I am happy to announce that I now take commissions for pieces based on your photo - children at play, weddings, favorite locations, pets, etc.