About the Artist

Ever since I was a child, I have always been in love with the west.  The images of horses, sunsets, mountains and desert landscapes always stimulated my imagination.  

After I retired from a career of teaching art, I wanted to take this opportunity to actually create for myself.  As a teacher, one wants to give their students their voice, creativity and the tools they will need to achieve this.  Now it is my turn.

So, I’ve completed southwestern sketches, painted and taken photographs of new environment for the purpose of learning more about it.  I have experienced rodeos, ranches, truck cemeteries, western towns and walked through old graveyards. I fell in love with the western scenery and events that are truly unique and I want to explore more.

Along with new subjects, I have tried several different methods of painting in my explorations.  It’s been very stimulating for me. I have experimented with palette knives; colored undercoat painting, skewing colors, brush work and different subjects.  I want to achieve a different look to familiar topics. I want to put my personal spin on a subject, to have the viewer take a second look.  

I have especially enjoyed these new topics because the southwest with its vibrant colors and landscape, are so different from the Midwest and eastern seaboard.  These subjects I find, encourage new curiosity and enthusiasm for me in my painting. I am trying to express the character of the subject from their perspective.

Painting and creating to me is part of who I am.  It makes me reliant, gives me a voice and communicates to the viewer what I see.  It creates a dialogue for me to express how I see the world and hopefully bring the observer into my world.  

I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have.