While painting water, I am now most interested in conveying mood and exploring the boundaries between realism and abstraction.
Artist Info
Water first began to appear in the narrative paintings that emerged from my early experiences. As it became a more consistent presence, I became interested in developing a better understanding of its elusive qualities. I wanted to know more about what I was seeing in terms of water’s movement and its ability to reflect external light and shapes on and below the surface. Tomales Bay has been an inspiration for me, as I live very close to the bay in Point Reyes Station, California.
When I paint, I often think of the bay on a particular day and time; the bay has many moods and can change unpredictably. I think about the odd creatures that come to the surface with the net pulls. Other times, I focus on the light and reflections bouncing off the surface.
Even though some of my paintings look realistic, that is not what I am trying to achieve. As I paint water, I am especially interested in conveying mood, while exploring the boundaries between realism and abstraction.
I am grateful to have interacted with many interesting teachers from the art departments at the following schools, particularly Ted Greer from Indian Valley College.
BFA San Francisco Art Institute BFA 1989
Sonoma State University
Indian Valley College
University of Wisconsin - Madison