Painting

I believe I have always been an artist. But, I spent many years struggling between being successful and being artistic. Then I realized that I can only be a success in my own eyes if I am making art. This was an astounding revelation.

The way I understand my view of the world best is if I can give my thoughts a corporeal existence. That is, I want to see what I think. The way I know how to do that is through painting and making objects in clay.

My paintings are mostly in oil on panels or canvas. I try to keep my style loose with deliberate brush strokes and I strive to make each stroke have some meaning and intent.

I think alot about the world around me and how it is effecting me when I paint. So, I think of a painting as a commentary on how I am experiencing life at that point in time. The image may be of anything, but the colors, intensity, values and brush strokes tell a story of emotions and thoughts that I don't otherwise know how to express.

I will always be creating. If there is no paint, then I'll turn to clay. If there is no clay, then I'll turn to wood. I will always find a way to give voice to my inner world that has never learned words.

Clay

I like that it is malleable--changeable. It responds exactly to what I give it, but not always as I expect.

I am drawn to the presence and the substantive nature of clay. Each work starts as mud. Then after shaping, glazing and firing, the finished work is anything but mud. This journey amazes me every time.

I push clay to its limits and see where it takes me. I want to find ways to have my changing world and perceptions portrayed in my work. This is part of the journey.