...grab the car keys; the painting gear’s already in the car, and the light is amazing. I have to try to capture this illusive moment on canvas. I paint all the time, and go outside as often as possible. The landscape is my muse. I must go to nature for her juices. This need to paint keeps my technical skills sharp and always developing. I use these hard won skills instinctively when a moment of inspiration comes.The locations I choose to paint are quiet, rural landscapes. They are places where life’s rough edges seem somehow softened. Yet these places evoke a compelling mood for me.
I don’t copy the landscape, I try to express a mood. I paint in a tonal style, not really intentionally, but because the mystery created by that style of painting best reflects emotion. I challenge myself to keep the colors in a close range, thus imparting mood. The color, texture, and light are soft and harmonious, creating a dreamlike effect. I manipulate edges to lead the viewer around the painting.
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