About

As a child we have aspirations, dreams, hopes. For me, this dream to be an artist started at a very young age. I was making art before I knew it was art. So as I bathe in warm silky waters of this amazing place I find myself in… I say…bring it on, what’s next, I’m ready!!!!

I never start a painting without having an intention in mind or a message to communicate, even if it’s just a word that motivates me to move the brush and push color around. Although admittedly, I need little reason to do either, painting helps me find peace with myself and the world I live in. It answers a lot of questions and  brings up new ones. It often feels like a therapy session and at the end of a day in the studio I sometimes feel like I’ve gotten something off my chest.  So when you see my work you will learn something about me.

I’m mostly interested in the essence of life rather than replicating what I’m seeing, which is why I paint in an abstract way and I consider my approach more intuitive than methodical as I am often responding to the last thing I put on the canvas. At some point something magical begins to emerge and I start to see where I need go. I layer and glaze and scratch and draw. I often scribble and scrape my way through to the layers underneath then glaze over and continue on when it is dry. My glazing techniques create a luminosity and depth in  my paintings that make you feel like you could step into them.  I love the way paint feels so I often paint with my fingers, sponges and rags. Finding paint under my fingernails at a dinner party is not uncommon for me. My friends don’t seem to mind.

I love lots and lots of pungent color and contrast but have learned through the years that sometimes the most subtle changes can be the most powerful. So I paint both contrasty, in your face paintings and quiet emotional pieces. They are both a part of me.

My paintings often have a message but if you have more questions than answers when you walk away that’s O.K. too. I consider it a failure if you walk away feeling nothing.

I received my first art kit when I was four years old. I remember pretending I was a famous artist and I would hang my creations all over the house, so it was no surprise to anyone when I was voted most artistic in my high school yearbook.  I studied studio painting in college and tried to pursue my passion. However, the idea of painting for a living was somewhat discouraged, and I began to believe these externally implanted doubts from well-meaning people in my life.  I went to photography school as a compromise and became a photographer. That seemed more acceptable to everyone including me for a while. As it turned out, that decision morphed into a very profitable career.  I went on to own and operate a highly successful photography studio in New England for over a decade, won many awards and gained clients throughout the United States. My photography career was very rewarding, but there was always a small fire inside that was not being fed.  So after thirteen years, I retired my camera for profit and picked up a paint brush. This time for real. It felt like home.

Feeling too old for college life, I sought out master teachers who excelled in their field to relearn the tools of my true passion.  Soon, I  was accepted into numerous juried exhibitions and offered solo shows.  My experience as a photographer offers me the skills I need to see light and composition and I enjoy a powerful palette filled with layers and lots of color. I am now enjoying continued success and acceptance by a new clientele as well as the fine art community. I continue to study with some of the best artists in the world as I feel we can never stop growing. It is a journey that will last a lifetime.

I am the luckiest person in the world to be able to paint every day. Don’t let anyone steal your dream.

My paintings reside in numerous private collections in the United States and Canada including television personality Michelle Phillips, nationally known comedian Tim Wilkins, and author Karen Ely, to name a few.