Why I Paint

Animals are wonderful and enrich our lives and self-awareness. Their behavior is a window into our own behavior. What does bliss look like? What is play? What is contentment? Animals help us understand ourselves.

The beauty, shapes, and colors of animals provide me with endless visual puzzles to solve. How can I show an animal’s tentativeness so you can feel it too? How can I make excitement look exciting? What shapes let us see and feel animals playing?

To solve these puzzles I paint in oil on both natural stone and canvas. The stones are archivally treated and provide colors, textures and patterns that I build upon. I’m always searching for the “perfect” stone, one with a strong suggestion, good composition, and exciting possibilities.

Canvas and panels have none of the restrictions of the stone and allow me to imagine a finished image and then figure out the best steps involved in realizing it.

Welcome to my world…