I created my first painting in 1967 and I was hooked. Now, 53 years later I'm still trying to get it right. I can't even imagine how many
cups of coffee that adds up to. You know though, I have to be totally honest, I really don't love to paint. It's really hard work. It's a
struggle most mornings to go to my studio, but I eventually do and I get to work. Why?, because I can't think of anything I would rather be doing. It's what I do and because it's what I need to do and, because I can. I want to do it more than anything and because of that, whatever I'm painting has to be worth it or I'm wasting my time.
The majority of my ideas come from close by, from memory or from simply observing and paying attention to my immediate surroundings, the everyday objects around me that most people see everyday but really don't notice or take for granted. I'll take those images and rearrange them by reducing their complexities and minimize them to their simplest form eliminating their complexities and minimize them to their simplest form to avoid the clutter and chaos and translating that into a sense of calm, order and comfort. The French writer Exupery said it best, " Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more left to take away". Couldn't have said it better.
You wouldn't want to spend any time in my studio observing me work because my process is slow, boring and deliberate.The medium I choose to paint in is oils. I like the slower drying time which encourages me to think and react in a controlled manner. I paint using small paint strokes applied with fine rounded brushes. I'm afraid you'd be totally bored and more likely find it appropriate to take a nap or politely leave. I would take no offense to either decision.
You won't find any deep philosophical statements or mysterious, deep meaning behind my paintings, not secrets or long winded interpretations or overly descriptive narratives. This is why I find artist statements non-productive. My statement is in my work. Besides, if I wanted to "write or talk" about it, I would be a writer. I just show up and get to work. It's simple, because I have t
"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why"
-Mark Twain