Artist Statement
My current work follows a realist tradition. I observe and then convert my observations into marks on a surface using the medium that best suits my subject. My paintings and prints record people and discreet moments on an intimate level. In a world that is rapidly changing my work can be a chronicle of a time and place and its mood. I have an appreciation for the qualities, characteristics and possibilities of the oldest fine art techniques: carving woodblocks, scratching metal plates, and painting with oil on wood board. Printmaking interests me for the quality of line, the richness of the inks, and the element of surprise involved with the medium. When fine detail suits the subject, I work in intaglio: etching and aquatint. I work in relief with linoleum or woodblocks when I want to achieve a bolder graphic image. I am using oil paint to produce images that are larger and looser than my prints can be. It is important to me that my work display technical skill without compromising the immediacy and spontaneity of a fluid line or brushstroke. Though each of the processes I employ inherently results in a style of its own, each is based on the practice of drawing. It is my hope that my distinct drawing hand will be evident in each piece I create, regardless of the medium.
