I paint from life paint hoping to pull out a universal element that speaks to all.  I try to bring something that rings true to Oregon. I don’t want to copy a landscape, I do try to tell an atmospheric  story, to offer a portrait of what I see.
Both my parents were artists: Printmaker, sculptors, painters .For years my first love was drawing, but upon discovering the soft, buttery quality of oil I fell in love with the medium and color. The pliability of oil along with the ability to build layers was too compelling for me to ignore. The excitement of the learning curve coupled with the ability to capture that shimmer of life keeps bringing me back.
I started Plein air painting ten years ago and immediately enjoyed the exploration of color. As much as I had always loved figurative work, landscape suddenly provided a perfect balance. Painting en Plein air in Oregon, outdoors under natural light, has been one of the most dramatic departures from my upbringing and continues to teach me. There is magic that occurs when I feel the wind blow, watch the clouds as they tumble, hear hawks call on high – and yes – even when I scurry to cover my palette from the rain or pick bugs that have landed on my canvas.  Being out in the elements feels to me that I am really showing up for my painting and fully participating. I find it to be a wonderful and complementary marriage of the familiar and unknown.