Since 1993
Artist statement
I am a traditional painter whose love of the art is in the process, details and manipulation of the medium to create hyper representational works that commandeer illusionistic light, luminosity, character and mood of the content. I’m interested in how things I observe in their environment and space look painted. I ask myself, “how can I create this illusion with paint?”
My current body of work focuses on local restaurants/breweries with interesting architecture that allows for optimal light, luminosity and shadows at night after a rain. This subject matter and my painting style permits me to get lost in the details of creating a recognizable and believable illusion on canvas. These illusions are created by depicting how light and shadow hit varying surfaces and capturing the colors and reflections that are indicative of three-dimensional space. The illusion of 3 dimensional space is also evident in the glow of light from interior rooms through the windows and doors of the buildings. Working this way allows me to appropriate the character of the local architecture and create a mood with lights, colors and reflective surfaces.
Complementing the exterior paintings are the interior scenes of beers and cocktails with the reflective light and glow bouncing off the glass, table surfaces, utensils and illuminating through the iced liquid. My focus is to slow down and appreciate the wonders of the light, color and reflective dance that is happening in such a mundane experience. Then to recreate that illusion by my hand and brush with my medium of choice.
The choice of subject matter for this body of work stems from robust part of Louisville’s and Southern Indiana’s social culture of local food, breweries and bourbon. I have personal appreciation for this culture and desire to hold on to a moment in time. To observe the complexity of light, color, form and reflection that is happening in a finite moment.
