ARTIST STATEMENT
I love the rich textures of oil paints. There is something sculptural about the way they adhere to the canvas. The vivid and rich colors give me a variety of choices as I manipulate them into compositions that are at times geometric and at other times subtle and restful.
I draw from my theatrical background as a set designer. Dramatic effects are best captured in harsh diagonal lines but comedic effects are best captured in curving lines. Truthfully I like the clash of both. Drama is also about the clash of design elements. In my paintings, lines, and color create a rich contrast that tips the balance of the composition and frees my imagination.Although I start out with a thumb-nail sketch of what might become the painting, I prefer the spontaneous energy that my creative juices produce. I trust my impulse and execute them onto the canvas with somewhat abandonment. The more I paint, the more I trust my impulse and go with the flow of what’s happening on the canvas.BIOGRAPHY
The creative arts drew me from an early age, but deeply rooted inferiority stifled my dreams as well as my confidence. Architecture was an early love but a high school counselor told me emphatically that I wasn’t smart enough to be an architect. In spite of my high school counselor’s gloomy assessment, I hold an MFA in theatre set and lighting design from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Growing up in Central Florida, I lived a pre-Disney childhood. My Christian faith helped me stabilize a career path that has included four years in the U. S. Air Force, 25 years in pastoral
and theatre ministry and more than a decade in education.
In 2007, weary of the tired old paintings in our home, I bought artist oil paints and a canvas. Doing so changed my life. As of 2011 I had painted and sold nearly 100 paintings through local galleries and area art shows.
I’ve learned to start with a simple thumbnail sketch, reproduce it on canvas, and then manipulate colors and textures like stage props for dramatic effects. Happily, my work attracts a wide age of admirers. Teens gravitate to the vibrant colors of the likes of “Humpty” and “Peek-a-boo”, while the more heavily textured works like “Snap Shots” appeal to the upbeat lifestyle of young adults. Contrasting these pieces are the textured geometric shapes that seem ageless.
Working spontaneously with palette knife and brush, the textures build sculpture-like venues as the execution of depth and movement dance across my canvas. My love for architecture often emerges mischievously on unsuspecting canvases. It’s the spontaneity of the art form that keeps me coming back to the canvas time and time again.
