Early on, I was aware that I viewed life and the world around me in a different way than my peers. What I did not realize was that the viewpoint would lead me to becoming a visual artist. Growing up in Charleston, South Carolina gave me a great visual heritage with the natural world, ocean, centuries old gardens and wonderful architecture. To this day, I can remember, as a five-year-old, seeing Spanish moss for the first time as we drove into my new town from Maine. Attending school in the historic district was a daily reminder of a beautifully designed city. The impact of my living there has lasted a lifetime.
But then came Alaska.
The softened edges and atmospheric skies of the southern low country gave way to mountains beyond imagination, skies with unreal clarity and colors I had never "seen" before. Alaska was so physically majestic, the light so magical, that painting became the only way to respond to it. A journey began that continues today and as a result of these diverse influences, I feel that I have become a painter with authenticity.
In my artwork, I try to capture the essence of the place, object or feeling. Some painting surfaces are wafer thin, relying on the layers of translucent paint to convey meaning; others, smaller and directly tangible, are heavily weighted with pigment, inviting touch. It is curious to watch people after I have invited them to "please touch," because the taboo against touching paintings is so strong that it still inhibits them. We have, I think, removed ourselves from our natural world to the extent that we rarely or never touch things like tree branches, grass, flowers, flowing water, or rocks. This leads me to approximate these living things by painting so texturally that the urge to touch is compelling, thus reconnecting ourselves with that urge and translating it back into our lives on a daily basis. People in Alaska live much "closer" to their natural world, and yet, I think most of them still touch artificial objects the majority of the time. As an artist, I want to make that awareness evident.
Read my Resume
