Artist’s Statement

The natural world has always given me a sense of peace and has been a source of inspiration for me over the years. I enjoy the sights and sounds when walking in fields or on hiking trails. While I prefer to work outdoors, the images I take as reference photos inspire me, and let me enjoy the experience of that particular location all over again.

I enjoy recording in pastel areas that are currently void of suburban encroachment in an effort to preserve these images for future generations.

In searching for areas to paint, I look for areas that I find intriguing, areas that are inviting for the visitor to experience. It might be a thick forest area, a wide-open farmer’s field, or an expansive snow swept pond that I find serene and want to share with others.

Using pastel to capture these environments allows me to interpret the landscape. I focus on color and light and how they work together to engage the viewer in the landscape. I also vary my pastel application to enhance the shapes, lines and color found in the landscape.

I use many different brands of soft pastels on quality pastel paper. I create an underpainting first with hard pastels, then begin to carefully layer soft pastels over each other to create the necessary effect, all the while remembering how to engage the viewer with the composition.

Biography

I am a native of upstate New York. I received my BS and MS from Buffalo State College for Art Education and have been teaching art at the high school level for 24 years.

Over the years I’ve worked in a variety of media. However, pastels have been my focus for the last ten years. I’ve had the pleasure of studying with a wonderful array of nationally known, talented artists.

Please note: All images on this website are copyrighted by the artist and may not be used or copied unless given expressed permission.