My artwork has always been a type of therapy for me. The quiet, mindful exercise of applying just the right color in just the right amount in just the right spot, really pulls me away from my everyday concerns.
When I start a new painting, I don’t usually have a message or meaning in mind. I’ll have images that I need to get out of my head so I’ll sketch them down in a pad. Next I will work on getting the image in color and on canvas. As the paintings unfold, I feel a strong sense of equilibrium approaching. My paintings don’t have to ‘look‘ balanced, they just have to ‘feel’ balanced. This is when I know a painting is finished.
My goal is for the viewer to have a ‘feeling’ when they look at my work. Angst, dread, warmth, grief, concern, malaise, euphoria, relief, happiness; it doesn’t really matter. They just need to ‘feel’. There aren’t hidden messages about the downfall of human society or politics. Nothing like that. I just want the viewer to ‘feel’ and be ‘in’ the painting.
I’ve developed an affinity for nature, especially trees. Whether abstract or realistic, I enjoy incorporating them into whatever is on the easel. Old buildings maintain a strong attraction for me as well.
Most of my work comes from my own desires and needs, but I do get some commissioned work. This work can be anything from portraits to sunsets to restoring someone else’s work. My artwork has even crossed over into illustration and woodwork at times. Three dimensional multimedia pieces to business cards, it’s all art to me.