Artist's Statement
ARTIST'S STATEMENT: OVERVIEW (see submenu for additional artist's statements)
We travel on numerous journeys during our lifetime, many of them hidden from sight and only known to ourselves. These intimate travels can take meandering and circuitous routes before they arrive at their destinations.
My artistic journey really began in an elementary schoolroom while I was in art class. I always knew that I could draw what I saw in front of me, but it wasn't until sixth grade that I picked up a paint brush and experienced something magical. That year, the art teacher was exceptional, since I have no other clear memories of art class in prior years. She brought watercolors and colored magazine photographs to class one day, and I selected a photo that showed a trout jumping out of the water. The teacher then demonstrated a basic watercolor technique. I picked up my large brush and minutes later a glistening rainbow trout jumped out of rolling blue waves, mouth open to catch a dragonfly. The sheer magic of that moment has never left me. I was breathless with astonishment and knew I wanted to feel that way again--and as often as possible.
Well, it took several decades for me to duplicate the experience at my grade school desk. I now strive for that incredible sensation of magic every time I paint and actually experience it quite often!
Another facet of my artistic journey is my fascination with the natural world - every aspect of it - trees, sky, land, flowers, rocks, shells, water, grass, and on and on. No matter what I do or where I go, I am constantly studying the world around me and the relationship of light and the absence of light upon an object. (A separate artist statement entitled "The Poetry of Light" elaborates on my impressions of the connection between sunlight and nature *see submenu selection.)
Although I may not have a brush in hand, I am almost always "painting," as the painting goes on continuously in my mind. I'm exploring composition, color, and shape and working out the details while I'm walking, driving a car, or sitting on a train. Numerous paintings are stored away mentally, waiting for the moment when the brush touches paper or canvas.
A more recent development on my journey of creativity is the act of painting en plein air or painting outdoors. At first, I just sat outside on my deck and carefully planned out my paintings from reference photographs. That enchanting, captivating sensation from sixth grade arrived full force when I threw the photographs to the wind and started painting the scenery around me. There is no turning back now - plein air painting has captured my heart and spirit.
No one artist statement can cover all the art you create and why. Therefore, I include artist statements from specific shows or events to provide you with my thoughts and feelings at that time. I look forward to many more extraordinary discoveries along the path that my artist journey will take me and plan to share them with you.
We travel on numerous journeys during our lifetime, many of them hidden from sight and only known to ourselves. These intimate travels can take meandering and circuitous routes before they arrive at their destinations.
My artistic journey really began in an elementary schoolroom while I was in art class. I always knew that I could draw what I saw in front of me, but it wasn't until sixth grade that I picked up a paint brush and experienced something magical. That year, the art teacher was exceptional, since I have no other clear memories of art class in prior years. She brought watercolors and colored magazine photographs to class one day, and I selected a photo that showed a trout jumping out of the water. The teacher then demonstrated a basic watercolor technique. I picked up my large brush and minutes later a glistening rainbow trout jumped out of rolling blue waves, mouth open to catch a dragonfly. The sheer magic of that moment has never left me. I was breathless with astonishment and knew I wanted to feel that way again--and as often as possible.
Well, it took several decades for me to duplicate the experience at my grade school desk. I now strive for that incredible sensation of magic every time I paint and actually experience it quite often!
Another facet of my artistic journey is my fascination with the natural world - every aspect of it - trees, sky, land, flowers, rocks, shells, water, grass, and on and on. No matter what I do or where I go, I am constantly studying the world around me and the relationship of light and the absence of light upon an object. (A separate artist statement entitled "The Poetry of Light" elaborates on my impressions of the connection between sunlight and nature *see submenu selection.)
Although I may not have a brush in hand, I am almost always "painting," as the painting goes on continuously in my mind. I'm exploring composition, color, and shape and working out the details while I'm walking, driving a car, or sitting on a train. Numerous paintings are stored away mentally, waiting for the moment when the brush touches paper or canvas.
A more recent development on my journey of creativity is the act of painting en plein air or painting outdoors. At first, I just sat outside on my deck and carefully planned out my paintings from reference photographs. That enchanting, captivating sensation from sixth grade arrived full force when I threw the photographs to the wind and started painting the scenery around me. There is no turning back now - plein air painting has captured my heart and spirit.
No one artist statement can cover all the art you create and why. Therefore, I include artist statements from specific shows or events to provide you with my thoughts and feelings at that time. I look forward to many more extraordinary discoveries along the path that my artist journey will take me and plan to share them with you.
