Artist Statement

During the time I have been painting (over forty years) my interest in the act of painting has never waned. However, the content of my work and my technical abilities are constantly evolving. This state of change is something that all artists embrace. It is through challenge that growth occurs. To be timid, safe, complacent or overly satisfied does not push the boundaries of creativity.

As tangents occur in my life, they also occur in my work. I allow myself the freedom to follow my tangents. One that I frequently revisit is my technique of spray painting. The spray paintings allow me to explore shape, value and pattern. Part of me relates strongly to hard edges, and strong lights and darks. The process itself sometimes determines content, although I continue to push myself.

After spending hours and hours on a very controlled spray painting, I find myself dreaming of mists, clouds, rain and water. My brush seems to take on a life of its own as I express the feeling of a summer storm or fishing in the shallows. In my non objective work, I work to evoke strong feelings from a viewer by manipulating the elements of composition. Can line, color, shape and value be juxtaposed to have the same emotional impact as a thunder storm?

Art is a communication - a dialogue between artist and viewer. It is my hope to open and maintain that dialog. And I hope the viewer will be as involved as I am.