PRACTICE

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

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 vibrant color, form, and movement through rolling fields, waters, extreme edges, dramatic skies and manmade to lines and patterns from farmland, vineyards, and infrastrucure.

INSPIRATION

The landscape of western New York—especially Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes—draws me in. Much of what I paint is what I see in my daily travels. With my van as a mobile studio, I’m always ready to paint. I often travel and paint with other artists from the Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters.

MEDIA

I work in oil, encaustic paints, and drawing media. Oils are my baseline choice; I love the smell, look and feel of the paint. Drawing is my go-to for exploring movement and re-connecting to a subject. And 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.