My work expresses the power of art to communicate and transform. With color, light, and composition, I explore the needless possibilities that lie within abstract and non-objective painting styles.

Painting in oil has always been my first choice. Oil paint has rich tones and a blendable quality that I find irresistible, and I developed a process of layering oil over acrylic to build transparent layers of color. Each painting begins with spontaneously placed likes that cross over the entire canvas surface using watered down black acrylic paint. This gives some structure to my beginning attempts at placing shapes on the canvas, which I do in thin brightly colored acrylic layers. I do not have a compositional plan or idea for the finished painting at this point. I paint intuitively, following my thoughts and feelings to decide what color and shape to use next.

When the initial acrylic layer is dry I begin using oil paint so that I can easily blend, add, and wipe off paint as I build layers. This stage of the process is unpredictable. After the canvas is covered in multiple layers, I begin to define some large areas using charcoal and opaque oil paint, letting what’s already on the canvas guide my decision making. Depending on my internal dialog, it can take months, weeks, or maybe only days to complete the painting.

I believe the act of creating is therapeutic to all who create. It can also be therapeutic for those who view a creation. The impetus for painting comes from my need to process and communicate life experiences that celebrate the strength, resilience, and wisdom that can be found within each of us. Through my work I hope to evoke a sense of connection and empathy, allowing viewers to reflect, heal, and find solace in the shared human experience.