Painting and drawing are my passion. Landscape architecture is my profession. I paint large abstract canvases in the open air by the ocean. I paint large-scale portrait and figure paintings in the studio. Landscape paintings are produced in the field in all weather conditions.
My paintings and drawings are about nature, man’s relationship to nature, man’s nature and the nature of painting and drawing. Through color, line, and the creation of form, I search for beauty and meaning in the universe. Drawing allows me to discipline my creative instincts. I try to capture in every model or landscape the energy I envision radiating from the person or object’s core.
Some of my works are inspired by natural elements – sea, wind, sand, grass, sky, flowers, fields, woods, gardens and night stars. Some canvases are my views of the earth as it appears from space. Some are drawn from infinite places located within my sub conscious. Others are explorations I take at the speed of light to places I imagine in deep outer space. These artworks portray the fragility of life and the known universe.
My portfolio is diverse, yet certain patterns or series emerge upon reflection. The methods and materials employed are limited and similar from work to work. I draw with compressed charcoal or pastels. I paint oil or acrylic abstracts directly on primed canvas with large brushes. I draw the figure or a portrait with charcoal, then apply paint over the drawing.
My abstract canvases contain movement, energy, slash, spatter, thrust, space, marks from
figure drawing, explosive primary colors, handprints as signature and proof of existence,
memories, hopes, ocean currents, the milky way, thoughts about life, churning expression,
serenity, angst, the liquid coolness of water, maps of places, storms, moons, and geometry.
My drawings and paintings are as solid as concrete. My colors are dense and impenetrable, rich, modeled and thick with texture. I draw with big sweeping lines and tones to initially define a general composition, then progress to specific definition of the subject. Through drawing, meditation, and comprehensive study of the model, I begin to see clearly. My thoughts and reactions are expressed with controlled and spontaneous marks.
I am obsessed with the works of DaVinci, Monet, and DeKooning. They help me gain an understanding of artists’ minds and artworks. The artists I study, the authors I read and the musicians I listen to influence my work. I read Tolstoy, Thomas Hardy, and John Steinbeck. I listen to Beethoven, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.