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| About My Work
I am a painter. My paintings focus on light and color in rural and roadside places. I grew up in Dobbs Ferry, New York in the Hudson Valley. My first "real" painting was a copy of a Hudson River School Painting that was similar to the view from my house. The luminosity and delicate light of the Hudson River School artists is still part of my psyche. As a teenager I became aware of Edward Hopper. His paintings, especially "Gas" made a huge impression on me. I spent many summer evenings driving with my family on Long Island and around New England. Viewing Hopper's work, I realized that my work could be about my world. I was intrigued by the idea of depicting contrasting light conditions, and I realized that light and shadow could be the subject of a painting. As I grew as an artist and learned from several wonderful teachers, I also came to appreciate the careful construction of Hopper's work. Now I live in High Springs, FL., a small but growing town. Here I can still enjoy and paint lonely two lane roads, farms and woods. Over time I have veered somewhat away from the strict realism that characterized all my earlier work. I am interested in color and composition for their own sake more than I was. I will probably always paint recognizable landscapes. Landscape painting for me invokes moods of freedom and accompanying melancholy that is what compels me to paint.
I attended public school in Dobbs Ferry NY. I earned my Bachelor's degree at Reed College in Portland Oregon where I majored in painting, and I spent one year at Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy. My family moved to Florida and I ended up attending the University of Florida, College of Fine Arts for my Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. I worked for 20 years at the Florida Museum of Natural History where I wore many hats, the best one was muralist. Since Sept. 2004, I have been teaching art at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, FL and maintaining my studio in High Springs. I am represented by: Paddiwhack Gallery
Other artists who influence me: Rockwell Kent 1 His work involves simplifying and intensifying elements of the landscape and colors to create very arresting paintings. Similar work by mid-century Canadian artists: I discovered contemporary painter Linden Frederick recently and just felt so jealous because he has already painted the paintings I wanted to paint! An exhibit of Eggleston's photography at Reed College was a very strong influence, pushing me further into American realism. Some of My Best Friends are Artists - and they have websites: Jerry Cutler Amanda Kavanaugh Enjoy the work of many other North Florida Artists Website by: |
