Artist Statement – Painting
A walk in the city provides many moments of pleasure and surprise. Cloud reflections on windows
of a soaring monolith. A waitperson in a crisp black and white uniform enjoying a quiet moment amid traffic
lights, cars and street activity. Looking into the sunset directly at twilight—buildings, figures and streetlights
are cast in silhouette forming one dark, uniform shadow.
Stalking moments is a phrase I use to describe my search for beauty of a fleeting nature. Stemming
from a childhood interest in the natural world, I was always looking, sensing and recording what I saw in drawings,
snapshots of the beauty around me. Drawers and cabinets spilled over with creatures, nests and drawings, a testament to this curiosity.
Originally, my process was to capture landscape in plein air. This practice posed many obstacles. The work
was necessarily small, completed alla prima. I learned to commit to a composition and make a painting quickly. Skills of observation
were sharpened from this practice.
I began to paint urban scenes plein air. Continuing with this subject matter and working from reference, I
developed these works in scale, concept and detail.
Reflexively, I asked myself questions. What was important about this scene? Was it purely aesthetic? Was it a social
observation? While mastering technique is important, delving further into inquiry of this nature has taken precedence.
Recording beauty of the urban landscape is my joy. It brings me closer to the essence of living things. Further
style shift comes with inward probing. I’m delighted to be having this conversation within myself and with my peers.
A walk in the city provides many moments of pleasure and surprise. Cloud reflections on windows
of a soaring monolith. A waitperson in a crisp black and white uniform enjoying a quiet moment amid traffic
lights, cars and street activity. Looking into the sunset directly at twilight—buildings, figures and streetlights
are cast in silhouette forming one dark, uniform shadow.
Stalking moments is a phrase I use to describe my search for beauty of a fleeting nature. Stemming
from a childhood interest in the natural world, I was always looking, sensing and recording what I saw in drawings,
snapshots of the beauty around me. Drawers and cabinets spilled over with creatures, nests and drawings, a testament to this curiosity.
Originally, my process was to capture landscape in plein air. This practice posed many obstacles. The work
was necessarily small, completed alla prima. I learned to commit to a composition and make a painting quickly. Skills of observation
were sharpened from this practice.
I began to paint urban scenes plein air. Continuing with this subject matter and working from reference, I
developed these works in scale, concept and detail.
Reflexively, I asked myself questions. What was important about this scene? Was it purely aesthetic? Was it a social
observation? While mastering technique is important, delving further into inquiry of this nature has taken precedence.
Recording beauty of the urban landscape is my joy. It brings me closer to the essence of living things. Further
style shift comes with inward probing. I’m delighted to be having this conversation within myself and with my peers.