My work is primarily inspired by the natural world. The color combinations and textures of nature when illuminated by light send me in directions I may otherwise not have been considered.

People might be surprised to know that I started out doing figurative work almost exclusively and thought that would be my focus forever.

Introducing beginning artists to painting has been gratifying for me, along with helping people see art in new ways to appreciate it more deeply.

As is the case with many artists, I started out painting quite representatively and have come to love the exploration and unexpected results of more abstract and expressionistic work. This work becomes very intuitive and exciting.

I have come to love working with acrylic, the immediacy of this medium allows me to continue working for long stretches of time without creating muddy colors.

The most challenging part of being an artist for me ismarketing and social media. I enjoy interacting with viewers but have not
become comfortable with the technical aspects and the constantly switching gears from creating to posting on social media.

I have had a few pieces over the years that have felt like a breakthrough paintings, but I soon forget about them in the excitement of creating a new piece. The pieces that I feel the most attached to are portraits of my children and grandchildren, and that is due to the subject matter and not the actual painting.

I grew up in northern Minnesota near Park Rapids and was fortunate to have great teachers and parents that helped me pursue my love of art. Their interest in and support of my artistic pursuits was extremely important to my growth as an artist.

The impressionistic artists have probably been my greatest influence, helping me to see that a stroke of paint may be a symbol of something and does not have to spell it out. In this way the viewer becomes more involved in the artwork which makes itmore personal to them.

My advice to emerging artists is if you love it and can’t live without it don’t quit!