Artist's Statement

Art is my sanity. It gives me the happiness, energy and clarity I’ve come to rely on when things start to get a little crazy. I want my work to instantly, if only temporarily, transport its viewer to a paradoxical world of wilderness and safety, movement and stability, reality and imagination. I want my work to breathe life off the canvas and into the viewer.
 
Nature: My nature pieces serve as reminders that the most beautiful artwork often lies in the simplest of things. In a world where so many of us are shut off from true wilderness, I find these paintings to be a breath of fresh air. To capture the already perfected beauty of nature seems to be redundant, if not impossible. However, to capture the experience is another task entirely. These paintings are meant to be as much a reflection of what I see as how I feel. I want the viewer to absorb the sunlight, hear the busy wings and experience color in a way that lifts the spirit and calms the soul. I want to prove that the little things can be the big things.
 
Peacocks and Koi: As I’ve said before, nature provides a special source of beauty and inspiration. For me, peacocks and koi are the epitome of natural beauty at its best. I love the majestic qualities of metallic scales and feathers and view these creatures as living, breathing palettes, put on constant display.
 
Roosters and Hens: Chickens have supplied me with endless inspiration over the last couple of years. I can’t help but see pieces of humanity wrapped up in their vibrant feathers and quirky mannerisms. Chickens are lively creatures – sometimes clucky, sometimes flustered and almost always on the go. They have provided me with a humorous outlet to explore human emotion and behavior in a way I find fun and rejuvenating. The streams of color are meant to reflect my free flow of thoughts and emotions. It is my hope that people can relate to these paintings in a light-hearted way and draw upon their colorful swirls of endless energy. I understand that the demands of everyday life can drain a person, and I want these paintings to be a way to recharge and gain perspective. Most importantly, I want them to make you smile.
  
Fruit: My fruit paintings are all about simple pleasures. I like peeling back the skin of a perfectly ripened banana and summer days measured by strawberries and watermelons. I like the first crunch when you bite into an apple and fighting over the last piece of pineapple. Fruit is a happy food. It’s light, fun and refreshing – and that’s what I want my paintings to reflect.
 
It took me a long time to discover and accept myself as an artist, but the journey has been one I don’t regret. I am grateful to have found something I love so much and that allows me to describe all the things I can’t put into words. Painting, for me, is a cycle of giving. It has given me happiness, energy and clarity, and, I want to give all those things back in my work.

Dragonflies