In most of my paintings, I am attracted to color both subtle and bold, in the moods that light and shadow create, in historic buildings lit by the sun as if on a stage, the contrast of warm red brick against cool blue sky, and in expressing the emotions evoked by these scenes.
Working in oil and pastel, I prefer doing small plein air (on site) paintings, but also work from my own photographs in the studio. I love the versatility and precise brushwork afforded by oil paints. I use pastels when I want greater spontaneity, or a more impressionistic, colorful approach, where detail may not be so important. I am working on a series of small town Texas scenes. Having driven across Texas countless times in my life, I feel that this is a subject that has become a part of me. I always wonder what these downtown buildings were like 100 years ago. Edward Hopper is an influence on what I would like to express.
Each of my portraits uses the unique qualities of oil or pastel, with careful thought given to pose, background, color, edges of forms, light and shadow, and facial expression. A painted portrait is more than a copy of a person. A photograph freezes a moment in time, whereas a painting done from life is a composite, done over a period of time. It is one person's vision or interpretation of someone. In my portrait commissions, the subject is presented at his or her best. Only the finest archival materials are used. It is created to become an heirloom which will last for generations.
