Artist's Statement
I was born in New Mexico and have made my home in California, Kansas, Illinois, Colorado and Texas. All these places have had an impact on my artwork in the way of color and shape, and upon my writing as geographic and historical locations for my stories.
“Commitment to the image” has always been a precept, even a motto, for me. I try to work in a series or succession of images, revisiting that image many times, in different media, in varying size, to give that image or concept ample opportunity to speak to me, because, like many artists, I often find the painting sort of creates itself, and I am merely a channel and a pair of hands and eyes. This is not always the case, but when it happens, it is wonderful and magical and opens the world to me on a fresh new level.
My first love as a painter, even as a child, has been flowers and landscapes. In art school, I was encouraged to “push” the image of flowers beyond the usual realistic approach and that push tended to either reduce or enlarge the flower until I was working with the organic shapes that made up the whole flower. Of particular interest has always been the daisy and the sunflower and orange poppies, all of which recur frequently over the years. More recently, my interest has turned to birds, many of which make their homes in my backyard.
In the past, I have often tried to please others; my friends or family, the instructor, some unseen show judge, some equally elusive buyer. Currently my goal is to please myself. I have set aside the limitations I previously imposed upon myself to create “meaningful, serious art”. I found I was never really satisfied, never fulfilled; always haunted by what it “should” have been. Now, I am going with whatever seems to draw forth my energy and interest, whether that is cutting edge or mundane. I still like working in series, including images of birds, florals, and finding interest in landscapes.
My interests in writing has leaned toward magic realism and fantasy/science fiction, and again, I make an effort to avoid being motivated by dreams of publication.
It is currently my pleasure to create, be it visual or literary, and I thank you for visiting my website to explore and share that process with me.
