Artist at Work

One of the highlights of 2011 was a painting trip to Italy. I spent three weeks painting in Tuscany and visiting the museums in Rome, Florence, Siena and Venice. My favorite Tuscan towns were Pienza and Montepulciano. Some of my plein air studies are shown on the New Work page, and I have several other paintings of Venice in the works. I'm now planning a trip to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, Utah, in April, and one to Bar Harbor, Maine, in September.

Back in the studio or out in the field, I typically spend 6 or more hours painting. I prefer to paint plein air, weather permitting, and love landscapes and seascapes, although I have begun doing some industrial and floral subject matter as well.

Materials

I use only archival materials to ensure that my paintings will stand the test of time. For my oil paintings, I love the rich color of Gamblin oils and prefer the responsiveness and texture of linen to canvas board or other hard surfaces. This is the palette I typically use:

While I like many varieties of sanded papers for pastel painting, such as Art Spectrum and Kitty Wallis, I prefer to create my own painting surfaces using primer and pumice on mat board and underpainting in acrylics, oils or watercolors to give the pastels more depth and glow. Because of my layering techniques, viewers say it is difficult to tell whether some of my finished pastels are in pastel or oil paints.

My favorite pastels are those of Terry Ludwig. Besides their great range of hues and values, I like their rectangular shape, which makes it easier to get a fine edge and to feather and scumble.

One characteristic of my paintings is their use of color. I see color variation wherever I look, even in fog and snow, and try to convey that richness in my art.