I am passionately inspired about luminous light and shadow and the sensuous nature of objects and their relationships to each other elevated to a higher level. The goal of my work is to capture the moment of wonder in everyday objects that may reveal a story for the viewer. I choose my subjects very carefully for the magic of their texture, color, or graceful design . Whether it be a persimmon with leaves, a shell, antique glass, exotic orchids, some gourds or a pear, all are transformed in paint with many layers of glazes some in oil on canvas and some in watercolor on paper.

Contemporary realistic figurative, portrait, landscape and still life drawing and painting

I was in raised amid New Hampshire’s seacoast and mountains. My travels have taken me to Alaska, Mexico and as far east as Kyoto, city of temples. Self-taught, I work primarily with forms from the natural world to create visual spaces of harmony: animals, plants, water, sand. I strive to convey the grace, strength, and fragility of life, as well as its lush vitality.

My portfolio contains both representational and abstract works.  I merge realism with slightly fantastical elements, and the concepts of beauty and playfulness are very important to me in my work. I am also fascinated with the play of light on water. My paintings are meant to create a space of refuge for the viewer.

Home now is San Francisco, where I can be found climbing hills, walking along the coastal cliffs, and painting in the amazing light. My work is held in corporate and private collections worldwide, shown in national galleries. I love what I do, and it’s my great pleasure to share it with you!

My recent paintings and photography are an investigation into indeterminate spaces that communicate time and memory. Passing of time, fleeting moments, and altered memories are feelings I attempt to capture in the abstracted images and the subtle yet luminous color field. Although my imagery and subject matter in both media offer a reinterpretation of transient experiences, the approach is opposite of another. The painting begins as an empty space that evolves into a subtle structural beauty; the photography begins as a literal image that transforms into a portrayal of atmospheric mystery.

In my painting, both content and process are derived by the very nature of the way I paint, not unlike the practice of meditation, in which one accepts and receives the present moment. Time is very much engraved in the slow ritual of applying multiple layers of paint. I lay out only one layer per day, as the paint needs time to dry. I regard each layer as a metaphor for my everyday existence, marking a passage of time. Day after day, I build up the surface until it emanates a sense of infinite space, in which time expands in depth. Patterns emerge and depth manifests gradually from an empty space. Planes shifting slightly in position reveal markings and value gradations. Ethereal and delicate, the meticulously laid out layers communicate a sense of time’s passing. 

My photography removes and distorts the concreteness of the existing objects and places, and dissolves them into obscured images. The reality is instantly altered through the lens, which displaces the subjects from their current state of being into unknown yet familiar feelings that are rooted in the viewer’s memories. Only the minimal adjustments such as exposure, contrast and color balance are done in the post-production phase. Each moment is a passage in time with a certain spirit and emotion. These images poetically capture the ephemeral nature of moments and experiences, evoking memories of faded history.

The fundamental nature of my aesthetic rests in the use of simple, quiet compositions that visually communicate emotion within the precepts of narrative realism: intimate scenes of family gatherings, unusual renderings of ordinary objects, subtle glimpses of everyday life. These images are collectively reflected on stillness, solitude, and mystery, yet with an element of comfort and familiarity. My creative approach is driven by the desire to balance traditional principles of painting and contemporary design, seeking inspiration from by a variety of artistic genres and periods, including 17th Century Dutch genre paintings, 19th and 20th Century American Realism, as exemplified in the works of John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth, and modern documentary photographers such as Walker Evans and Sally Mann. Specific elements of design play an integral role in the result of each painting. By way of example, careful color selection is essential in conveying the underlying mood of the composition. My Interior paintings are rendered in rich, warm colors that blend to convey a sense of intimacy and tranquility, and are reminiscent of the candlelit luminosity of Baroque paintings. Comparatively, the Gray series features gradations of blues, greens, and grays often juxtaposed with soft earth tones that collectively capture the spirit of natural environments and the gentleness of dimly lit rooms. Feelings of mystery and lucidity are conveyed in my nighttime scenes, employing a softened palette to emulate the allure of nocturnal light. Another important stylistic choice is the size and shape of the canvas. Some paintings are square-shaped, as if providing a window in which to carefully observe. Others are evocative of elongated Chinese scrolls, rendered on vertical and horizontal rectangles that lend to a panoramic view of my subject. The size of my paintings is often smaller in scale, granting an intimate setting in which people may closely observe the painting’s content and arrangement. In my effort to coalesce traditional and contemporary design practices, I strive to create works of art that retain a timeless quality while incorporating contemporary subject matter. In doing so, it is my resolve to provide viewers with visual explanations of emotion that will hopefully make for a lasting impression

After many years of working in mezzotint, an engraving technique that requires precision and forethought, I am now exploring the realms of wax painting and abstract imagery.  Each image starts as a simple shape, assuming different permutations until the final image is achieved.  The encaustic process introduces me to a spontaneity that does not exist in my mezzotints.  The new work represents a passage both toward a new way of working, and perhaps more importantly, toward a new way of seeing.

I have been working with alternative process Polaroid photography for over a decade. I am drawn to the balance of technical precision and openness to unpredictability involved in creating this art. As ambient temperature and minute shifts in pressure affect the development of each image, I see each piece as a creation birthed from a particular constellation of variables at a particular moment. The Polaroid manipulations are made using an antique Polaroid Alpha - 1 camera and SX-70 film. The emulsion stays soft for a few hours, allowing me to apply pressure to the photo and gently move around the image, creating an impressionistic, painterly effect. For Polaroid transfers, I project a slide onto peel-apart 669 film, peeling it too early and pressing the negative onto watercolor paper, creating an antique, distressed-looking print. I also use Polaroid transfers in mixed media work. Both films have sadly been discontinued, but I have a stash of 669 film that I continue to use both for my own artwork and to give workshops in Polaroid transfers.

Very recently, I've felt called to express my meditations through painting. This devotional art is inspired by my spiritual practice. It's a departure from photography and very satisfying to feel this work just flowing out of me as I let myself become an unmediated vessel for Source: creative, free, and magical.

I am fascinated by structure and change as it manifests itself around me: in nature, caused by human intervention, and the seemingly random. Structure and change can be experienced through comparison, movement, and by paying attention to the passing of time. As such, my subjects range from large scale natural and everyday environments to studies of small scale details.

Photography focuses my attention, draws me into the present, and allows me to perceive more intensively than otherwise. The camera lets me capture and share this experience, by freezing or blurring movement, by stretching or compressing time, by pointing to obscure detail. To stop and connect with the present moment has become the rare occasion for many. This way of living diminishes the capacity to perceive the subtleties around us. My images are meant to both reflect this transitory quality, as well as offer counterpoints to it.