Inspired by the vibrant Illinois and Texas landscape, my paintings portray the beauty and mysteries of our native flora.  I focus on the brightness and energy of changing seasons, the excitement of plants in bloom, the play of light through the trees, and the contradictions between earth and sky.  In this way, I convey the emotions conjured by the natural world.

My interest in fall foliage as a subject is rooted in memories of long walks thorough gardens and forest preserves.  Having grown up in a busy city like Chicago, my parents and I would escape to the few natural surroundings we could find on weekends.  This is how I discovered at such a young age the power of nature to uplift the soul.  I couldn't wait until leaves would start changing colors and the air would become brisk.  In winter, I loved the first snowfall because of its fleeting beauty - knowing I had to treasure that moment before the sun melted it.  This escapist view of mature is something I had to translate through the canvas to the viewer.  For this reason, I rarely depict people in my paintings.  I want the viewer to escape with me; to be completely oblivious to the outside world.

To achieve the desired mood for my work, I utilize the vivid colors of pastels.  While I incorporate all of the colors of the prism, I return to deep blues because of the calming feeling they convey.  I contrast warm and cool tones to create drama in my paintings.  The sanded surface I draw on allows me to imitate the velvety, lush feel of nature while capturing the bold colors of light.  Creating a beautiful scene from such a messy medium also adds to my excitement.

My impressionistic interpretations of the landscape are created out of a feeling of true joy which I translate onto the canvas for the viewer to share.  It is from this shared human experience that I gain satisfaction as an artist.