I find unending inspiration looking at nature. Just driving to the grocery store, my eye will catch an unusual angle of sunlight, an arrangement of shapes, one color against another - and I can’t wait to get to my easel! There’s always a new idea to develop about how to bring personal expressiveness and my unique vision to a painting.  I see beauty all around me, even in the “ordinary”.  My goal is to condense and give visual form to the experience of place.

Each painting begins with a photo, sketch, or idea of a particular place.  It serves as a guideline and reminder of the original inspiration, although the images are altered as the painting evolves.  I want the viewer to know more about a scene than just the literal details, so I choose colors that are light or vivid, lines that are dynamic or peaceful, shapes that are complex or simple, arrangements that are inviting, and layers of textures for depth and richness. These are the tools I use when I’m making a painting.

I use acrylics on canvas, painting loosely all over the surface, building up thin layers of paint to create a rich surface. Form dissolves into texture. My paintings are both representational and abstract, emphasizing the tension between content and surface. Colors are pushed beyond reality or used symbolically. I think of the painting as an abstract composition as I develop shapes and design lines.

The paintings of Florida’s Gulf Coast celebrate its diversity and imperiled natural beauty. The places I paint resonate with a lifetime of memories and emotional connections. My roots run deep in this sand.