Bio:
Entering my studio each day several unfinished canvases are waiting for further guidance. Each has received several coats of acrylic wash, gel, and perhaps some layering of mulberry or exotic papers. Looking beyond whatever state these art works were left in, I let my experience and intuition take over, much like the next stage in developing a photograph. Subject matter is abstract and reflects human relations, travel, nature, and emotions.
Years ago my friend and mentor, Robert Sterling (WSU Prof.), urged me to explore deep feelings regarding my current and past life. It is this daily centering and exploration of emotions that leads me into creating visual images that are in agreement with my imagination and dreams. Other styles of Abstract Expressionism that have impacted my art are found in the works of the Northwest Mystics, including Guy Anderson, Paul Horiuchi,Mark Tobey, and Morris Graves. Current techniques and color theories by the German master, Gerhard Richter, have also found their way into my explorations with overlapping layers of paint and gesso using squeegees and various found tools.
Taking walks in our local neighborhood, and viewing landscapes close up with a camera in hand are ways that lead to discovery in my studio. The light, contrast, texture, and vivid colors of flowers and plants continue to inspire my mixed media pieces. Using both Japanese and exotic papers, my objective is to fuse and blend these materials with acrylic paints, inks, and charcoal. The result is a more cohesive, unified composition.
At 72 years of age, more than two thirds of my life has been working and creating in the fine arts. It is my intention to live until 100 years, still painting, reading, and designing daily in my studio.