About the Artist

Artist Statement

Texas Artist

My art is guided by a simple philosophy; beauty matters because it lifts the spirit, and the body and soul are refreshed by nature. The thrill of looking at a mountain vista, sitting on a dock, standing by a mountain stream or looking at a Gulf Coast bayou provide my most enjoyable moments. I am moved by the uplift of spirit from the beauty of the landscape and from being immersed in nature. My objective as an artist is to provide the viewer a genuine expression of the feelings that emerge while experiencing the American landscape.

Growing up in the mountains of West Virginia permanently burned the beauty of nature in my mind.  While my understanding of the beauty of the landscape has broadened, it is still in the forefront of my mind. The landscapes of Texas, the American West, the Gulf Coast, the mountains of West Virginia and the beauty from around the world are all there to be painted. Nature and mathematics are the source of all abstract designs. The challenge is to find that abstract shape or pattern that is the cornerstone of a good design.

 I paint daily because I am obsessed by the act of creating art. I paint outside because I love it. Others play golf, fish, hike, or boat.  Painting en plein air not only refreshes me, it also provides the inspiration needed for studio painting. I spend two to three months a year doing  field studies all day.  I schedule a day each week to do field studies year round. There is nothing like the excitement of painting in nature. Taking notes and photos with each study helps with remembering the moment. It is the impact of that experience that must be communicated with each painting.

I paint with oil because of the entirety of its history…the masters that have painted with oils, and the masterpieces they have created…  because of its buttery texture; and because the paint can be applied with a variety of textures and marbled mixtures which create a surface quality that adds a beauty all its own.

My painting process is Ala Prima or painting in one setting. This promotes painting expressively, and helps to achieve a fresh look. Most important is the poetry of painting. The poetry of painting is capturing the essence of the subject rendered with enough detail to make it believable, but leaving something for the viewer to imagine to complete the painting.

Scott Christensen, Matt Smith, John Cosby, Skip Wycombe, Jill Carver and Bob Rohm have influenced my work and shared their experience generously.  Historical artists that influenced my work include Edgar Payne, William Wendt and John Carlson.