One of the best pieces of advice I ever got about painting was “Paint what you love!” I try to do just that - paint the trees, branches, leaves, blossoms, and birds that surround my own home and make it my favorite spot. I’m not interested in painting them exactly as they appear in nature, nor do I want to simplify them to the point of total abstraction. My intent, rather, is to find a happy intersection between nature, paint, and the workings of my own mind.

I tend to see the organic elements I paint as patterns of color, light, and texture - intricate quilts whose myriad pieces of fabric are all in constant flux as day turns to night and one season follows another. My compositions evolve over time, sometimes long periods of time. Each painting develops a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, with each new piece shaped and colored by my brush. Of course, I try lots of pieces that don’t fit and have to be replaced.

When someone buys a painting from me, I feel special delight because it indicates to me that he or she sees something in this world in much the same way I do. We must have connected on a rather intimate level, even if we’re unacquainted. I paint to please myself, of course, but it is nice when others are pleased as well.