PRACTICE

I’ve been working as a studio and plein air painter since earning my BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1981. I paint in response to the land; inspired by the energy of wild spaces, churning nature, rugged edges, and distance.

My studio and plein air work feed each other. Painting directly outdoors allows me to connect with nature as I explore the idea of “place.” In studio, I broaden my media to deeply explore ideas and inspirations, free from changing conditions. I linger in the surface and rhythm of a painting and push plein air imagery.

Whether in the field or studio, my paintings offer a narrative of color, form, movement through and across rolling fields, extreme edges, water, and dramatic skies. I’m attracted to man-made lines and patterns from plowed and excavated fields, vineyards, power lines, roads, and structures.

In all my work, I share a story of a particular place in a particular moment.

INSPIRATION

I’m inspired by the landscape of western New York—especially Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. Much of what I paint is what I see in my daily movement. With my van as a mobile studio, I’m always ready to paint. I often paint with other regional plein air artists which builds community and dynamics that keeps my learning alive.

MEDIA

I work in oil, encaustic paints, and drawing media. Oils are my baseline media. I love them for the look and feel of moving the paint. Drawing is my go-to for exploring movement and re-connecting to a subject. Encaustic wax is an adventurous practice with inspiration coming from the material itself. Wax is unique because of the artist’s ability to paint, build, remove, carve, collage, print, and combine with other media. Working with heat and flame brings both control and surprise. I enjoy exploring the tactile properties of the wax and the new conversation that comes with each piece.