I paint what I see — This is a simple thing to say. But as we look around us, what do we see? As an artist, I focus on seeing better as part of learning to paint better, and that is my ongoing adventure. 

And what catches my eye? — It could be the way sunlight transmits through a leaf, or the shape of a shadow falling across a face. Exploring close to home, I gather shells and acorns, pottery and buttons. Traveling, I delight in both exotic and mundane experiences. I bring these to my paintings. The world offers bounty, and we use it in endless creative ways. More and more, I find myself enjoying painting at that intersection between the natural and man-made worlds. I am engaged by the beauty, story, and humor there, mingling like flavors in a pot. With a dash of curiosity, sometimes I see familiar things in new ways. 

How do I work? — Whether painting people, places or things, I try to communicate the subject's inherent energy. Sometimes I start with something currently appealing to me and arrange it with complementary and/or contrasting elements. Other times, I spot a scene or theme that I use as the foundation for a painting. I aim for art that is accessible, cohesive and harmonious, creating a sense of space with a cooperative relationship among the shapes, colors and textures within. And I love the feel of oil paints. My connection with art materials themselves is visceral. 

As I have met many life challenges, it has been increasingly clear how important it is to have fun with and through it all. My main challenge these days—and source of fun—is to express my simple pleasures in my paintings, and to share them with those also having fun engaging with the stuff of life.