I paint because I love the challenge of looking at a
familiar scene and simplifying it into shapes, colors and my own vision. I
primarily paint “en plein air”. Painting alla
prima, with quick brush work and a limited palette, forces me to work
spontaneously. I strive to give the viewer a quick snapshot of that particular
moment in time; an impression of an effect of light I felt to be beautiful. I
usually work on smaller canvases in order to be able to complete a painting in
2-4 hours capturing the sun before it moves on. I particularly enjoy painting
the Wisconsin rural landscape and small towns in all four of our unique
seasons: Winters, I am outside bundled up and painting very quickly before the
paint turns too gummy. Spring and Summer
when the fields are full of life, the gardens are in full bloom and the warmth
of the sun makes me feel alive with the paint brush. An added fun experience is
painting while sitting in my little 13’ boat. And in Autumn when Wisconsin dons
its coat of bright reds, oranges and yellows.
I began painting in 1995 while living in the south of
France. I was physically and emotionally compelled to try to put down on canvas
the beauty of the area’s atmosphere, sunlight, buildings and everyday life. It
was impossible not to find inspiration in the same region where Matisse,
Renoir, Cezanne, van Gogh, and countless others had set up their easels. An
inspiration that has sustained me in the pursuit of creating the fresh canvas.
