ARTIST STATEMENT

     In my work, I seek to capture the beauty found in nature.  I primarily paint landscapes, but have recently begun painting wildlife, following a trip to South Africa’s wild game parks in 2012.  My work is primarily representational, but I enjoy “pushing” the colors I see to create a more vibrant effect.  My goal is to convey to the viewer what really excites me about a scene, and I compose the elements to accomplish this. 

     I love Pastel because it allows me to build up multiple layers of color, and I intentionally allow the underlying layers to show through to set up a vibration of contrasting warms and cools, or complimentary hues.  I also love the immediacy it provides.  There is no time needed for drying.   I paint on a sanded surface, and I begin with an initial block in of shapes, either monochromatic or in vibrant hues.  I use isopropyl alcohol to melt the pigment into the paper, and then build up multiple layers in both hard and soft pastels.

     I am blessed to visit the scenic coast and mountains of North Carolina often, and my subject matter is inspired by these areas.  I particularly enjoy painting snow and water.

      I have learned my skills though workshops with nationally recognized pastel artists, including Liz Haywood-Sullivan (www.lizhaywoodsullivan.com), Barbara Jaenicke (barbarajaenicke.com), Terri Ford (www.terrifordart.com) and Kim Lordier (kimfancherlordier.com).  Their work truly inspires me!  I have also studied with local artists Carmella Jarvi (www.carmellajarvi.com), Greg Barnes (www.barnesstudios.com), and Diane Pike (www.dianepike.com).