I gather impressions and inspiration by exploring the back roads, alleyways and scenes of the local countryside. The rural landscape is the driving force in most of my paintings. I am most fascinated by the movement and energy of landscapes that lead the viewer's eye along a winding path, road or a fence line through a vibrant and textural scene.
The images I create are intended to be welcoming and serene. The world is chaotic enough that we often need a place of rest away from technology and materialism. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains of western Montana, I spent many weekends and summers on my grandparent’s farm. I find myself nostalgic for this rural lifestyle that was so definitive and concrete. This is reflected in my paintings of agricultural icons, farm fields and animals.
I paint both en plein air as well as in the studio. Either way, I enjoy exploring diverse color combinations by first wiping on a bright color ground like magenta or a bright orange on the prepared canvas or panel. I then sketch in the composition loosely with a mixture of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. As the painting progresses, I add the darks and lights, sometimes allowing the bright ground to peak through. I enjoy using both a brush and palette knife to sculp the paint. The painting often takes on new directions and a life of its own as I explore textural patterns, color and movement.