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I began painting about six years ago, fulfilling a long held but unacted-upon interest. My grandmother was
an artist who primarily studied still life subjects in oil. Later on with my grandfather she refinished antiques
with gold leaf and still life designs. When I was about 8 or 9, Grandma attempted to teach my sister and
I how to paint with oil. I have kept one composition that we both worked on from that time. Being too rambunctious, I
did not continue to study with Grandma, practice in school, or take any formal training in art or painting. Nevertheless,
I owe my grandmother a debt of gratitude for passing along the interest and hopefully some of her creative genes. It was not
until I took an art appreciation course in college that I fell in love with the great Impressionist painters Renior,
Monet, Pissaro, and Van Gogh, that I planned one day to try to paint in that style. Whenever I travel on business
I always try to find time to admire the Impressionist works at local museums. With an appreciation of painting gained
from trying to create my own works I am continuously awed by the master's ability to create such powerful
impressions. I like to try other styles, with varying degrees of success, but I always seem to be able to incorporate
something that I have learned from exploring other styles.
I spend as many weekends as possible up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Hiking, skiing, canoeing,
swimming, and exploring the area have provided me with an abundance of subjects to paint. I particularly enjoy painting
landscapes to try to capture the unspoiled beauty of this country. It is fascinating to watch the scenery go through its natural
cycle of change from the bright, bountiful summer, to the colorful fall, to the snowy, barren winter, and finally
to the awful mud season from which hope springs eternal.
I also travel for business and pleasure and am inspired by many of the places I visit, particularly the Southwest
desert areas of Arizona and Nevada, the California coast, Cape Cod, and Mexico. I also did some painting while living
in the Alsace region of France for four months in 2003.
When I am not painting, I am product manager at a telecommunications manufacturer. I am blessed with two wonderful
children, Jake and Jacqueline who also are a couple of my toughest critics.
| At Mount Monadnock |
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| The artist and his youngest critic |
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