Interpretation

The continually changing New England landscape and the vastness of the Southwest inspire my paintings. I have lived and painted in Vermont since the early sixties and, more recently, have spent time and painted near Big Bend Texas, where we have a rustic adobe house. My paintings are not necessarily about a particular place but about an appreciation of the sensual wealth that surrounds us. I draw inspiration and energy from dramatic skies, constantly changing light and the intimate details of nature as well as its infinite scale.

When I begin a new painting I start with a vague notion, an undefined intuitive sense of color, form and place. In my most recent work I literally start painting at the top of the painting and work my way down. For me, that's an exciting part of how I work - there's no real guarantee of the results. I don't want a clear idea of the final painting. I want it to surprise me. I allow the paint, drips and "accidental" color combinations, to guide my vision. I often use orange, browns, greens and shades of gray in my skies to create the mood and feeling of weather and skies. Creating larger paintings has allowed me to be more spontaneous and explore paint in a different way. Creating a painting is often full of frustration when I can't get it to "work", but when my inner vision does materialize it is one of the most exciting feelings.

Technique

My intention is to give my paintings a luminous, rich quality by laying down thin glazes of oil paint on paper. Layers are built up slowly after each has been softened and blended. I remove paint with turpentine and rags, re-apply, and remove again, repeating the process until the painting "works." My finished paintings often don't resemble their beginnings; they go through a continual process of change. With a combination of persistence and luck, an exciting painting may result.