Creativity, to me, is a powerful force—a free spirit guided only by my imagination. My paintings reflect this belief and is not tied to one subject matter. I often see art in the most common of things. Rocks, roads, flowers, tractors or people are just a small list of subjects in my paintings.
With a background in design, both graphic and industrial, I have long possessed the ability to fully visualize ideas in my mind, often to the point where the act of creation is finished. I naturally think in three dimensions, mentally rotating forms, adjusting structures, and testing function as though working within a living design program. Years ago, I realized this is not a common skill after reading a biography about Temple Grandin who too could see in her mind's eye designs for improved cattle processing. This way of thinking helps immensely when it comes to my paintings.
My artwork invites viewers to ask, “what's going on here”? For example, one of my paintings depicts a flannel shirted farmer facing into his farmland with stormy clouds gathering. What may he be thinking? I know farmers who fret over getting their hay in before big rains. Another is a partial view of a young girl holding her hands up in a viewfinder pose towards a carousel of flying riders. Could a friend be flying high? Is she framing up a photoshoot?
Over the years, I have explored a range of mediums including pencil, airbrush, and oil paint, working across paper, wood, and canvas. While I developed a strong foundation in realism through airbrush, learning from old school professionals who worked in the pre-photoshop era, I ultimately sought a more tactile process. While cutting frisket and applying multiple layers of color provided a satisfying conclusion, airbrushing lacked the joy of smearing paint on canvas.
Oil paint has become my preferred medium for its physicality and flexibility, allowing me to engage directly with the surface, to manipulate and revise each piece more constructively. I am drawn to working on a larger scale, where the tedium of small details does not limit my imagination. My hope is once someone sees my work the image and their experience will linger long afterwards.