Art has always been an important part of my daily life and overall existence. Since I was young, I always had an “eye” for art and have always been inspired by the way the artists were able to use light and landscapes in their work. This has now become one of my inspirations as I design my own art work to “glow” with their own light and work hard to achieve that effect in my work.
The art that I create is highly inspired by the everyday landscapes of both San Francisco and Scotland. I am blessed with a window overlooking the bay and the constantly shifting relationship of the colors and light between the sea and the sky are mystifying. Often, I will be out, armed with a camera, in order to find quick references and try to capture both fleeting feelings as well as “accidents of light” that I will then try to recreate in my own artwork. My work is done on traditional wooden panels using oils. There are times I also utilize a clay-board in my art as I find that it has a slightly more absorbent glass-like surface that works well with both stains and the layering effect that I use in my work.
The overall feeling that I try to convey in my art is of both joy and mystery. I want my viewer to really look deep into what was created and both try to discover what meaning I was trying to convey as well as whatever meaning they are able to draw from their own perspective of my work. In my opinion, this ability of the viewer to recreate the setting in their own mind and find their own meaning is what makes true art and a major reason for my passion for my trade.