​I paint because I’m drawn to it. It’s exciting just putting oil paint down on a palette… its rich quality and vibrancy straight from the tube igniting the senses. A strong visceral feeling. But it is the experience of both painting itself and seeing other’s paintings that pushes me to pursue art… as so many others have done throughout time. The impact of work artists have left for us is beyond measure and continues to have a profound impact on my life... and the lives of so many others. A visit to any museum or gallery, no matter how large or small, is to bear witness to this. I have over the years had the opportunity to stand in front of some truly great works and be completely overwhelmed. And to stand in front of many others that at the very least were stimulating in ways I wouldn't have expected. But what they all have in common is that although a painting is a static object it is also a document of every minute an artist spent creating it. Every decision that was made is there in some form to be seen. The colors, brush marks, forms, values, ideas are all there to investigate and revel in. It’s in this shared experience, to be there with the artist, through the art… although separated by time and space, that elevates and enriches our lives in very special ways. 

​As a self-taught artist, who only in these later years of my life has the time and space to pursue oils, I’m truly fortunate to be part of this great continuum. I hope that by sharing my experiences with you that I will progress as an artist and that you will get something from your interaction with me and my work.