G R O U N D W O R K S

In my series Groundworks I am focusing on what might otherwise be overlooked or taken for granted. Nature’s beauty and complexity is exposed not only in the grand gesture such as a waterfall, but also can be found in the simplest scene often not considered.

The complexity and beauty of the woodland floor in different seasons, a leaf here, a snapped twig, a carpet of moss provides endless fascination and subject matter for me. I have always been interested in the mosses, lichens and other plants since I was a child, stooping down to observe the little world beneath. I use the settings as I find them, nature provides the setup and I attempt to capture the random beauty that is there in that moment in time, each object receiving equal consideration to form a rich tapestry of color, shape and light. 

My medium is oil paint used in the master technique of beginning with a grisaille underpainting and the subsequent application of multiple glaze layers. This labor intensive technique allows for great luminosity of color and intricate detail, and can take several months to complete one painting. 

L A N D S C A P E S

My work deals with the creation of a sense of place, a window to look through; I seek to transport myself into another environment, to see and feel the beauty and pulse of Nature in a space I have created. I work in oil paint on panel or canvas or oil stick on paper, sometimes combining the two. 

P O L L I N A T O R S

My series The Pollinators are a group of oil paintings showing abstracted portions of the wings or feathers from insects and birds which pollinate the plant kingdom. 

Each painting is presented on panel, simply framed. I enlarge the scale of the natural patterns to better focus the viewers attention on the beauty of the markings, details of which could be missed at actual size. In some instances particularly for some of the butterflies where appropriate, I also use mica powders combined with linseed oil to show the iridescent quality of the wing colors. When the viewer moves, the colors will shift and morph as the light hits the luminosity of the metallic powders on the surface. 

For this series I am not intending to paint using a photo realistic style, but rather a bold modern representation to which the bright colors and patterns naturally lend themselves.

T R E E S

My Trees series begins with the creation of a sense of place, a window to look through; I seek to transport myself into another environment, to see and feel the beauty of Nature in a space I have created. I work in oil paint on panel or oil stick on paper, sometimes combining the two. 

For this series I begin with a small quick pencil sketch from my imagination, then move to the final support surface and complete the painting from there. 

For my Trees series, I often apply sand to the surface before I begin painting to give it a rough texture, this doesn't allow for details that are too fine and lends itself to creating an overall consistent atmosphere.