ARTIST STATEMENT

In my paintings, I have been inspired to see the world through a spiritual lens.  Mountains and deserts, sunsets and sunrises, waves and oceans, waterfalls and sky, nights turning blue, the endless nuances expressed in people’s faces. These have become touchpoints for celebrating the beautiful and the sacred.   

Although a few of the pieces have been painted on site, plein air, most paintings are from photographs I have taken.  For example, one piece reflects the precious memory of turning a corner on a rainy day and suddenly seeing a brilliant yellow rapeseed field in front of me. Several paintings show my love of a favorite spot in Delaware, a creek where I watch the changes in season and changes in light and mood at different times of the day. Another painting reveals how the light hits buildings in Bruges to create an intriguing pattern of shadows.

My paintings are not meant to be photo-realistic.  I am interested in uncovering the wonder that stops me in my tracks to take a picture. The order, color choice and brushstrokes mirror the emotions that are evoked in me. I am stirred by vividness of day turning into the calm of night, the terror of fire as it consumes a sacred building, the luminous orange and pink lights of the setting sun. For me, these are not merely images. They serve as vehicles for transporting me to an experience beyond the ordinary.