Painting light is the single most exciting subject to me. I am completely inspired by the way light reveals forms and illuminates color. I consider myself a realist painter who continues the honorable tradition of working from observation. I find that still life provides an endless number of ways to study color and the effects that light have on color. I am also intrigued by painting still life from a tilted plane or an overhead view. Although the objects are still recognizable, I like composing their geometric shapes to make a painting.
I earned my MFA at Maryland Institute, College of Art in 2002. During my studies there, my subject matter expanded beyond the still life to encompass interior spaces. I was residing in a high rise apartment and could not resist the urge to paint the geometric patterns of light that fell upon my wall each sunset. The sharp contrasts between brilliant lights and dark shadows bring a sense of drama and play psychologically with the interior spaces. The insides of homes provide shelter and security while windows are similar to portals that display the vast world beyond. My paintings have been said to be peaceful and serene, but, sometimes suspiciously calm. One might begin to wonder if there were more going on than what meets the eye.
Still today, my paintings continue to broaden in subject matter as I have moved beyond the interiors to the great outdoors. In 2007, I began painting in Plein-Aire style. Color and light still remains to be my key motivating force to painting. However, painting landscapes also reinforces my environmentalist views and my desires to preserve our natural resources. I hope to eventually go beyond documenting nature’s beauty to increasing our society’s consciousness and respect for our Earth.
