Bio
I paint to explore the vanity and fragility of the natural world. At times, painting becomes my personal indulgence and tribute to all things delightful. Birds soar over imaginary landscapes and koi are wrapped in swirling layers of iridescent waves. Tragedy weaves its way into my work, a reminder of the transient nature of beauty. Flowers grow from husks of grenades, sinister streams of dripping paint obscure a tranquil landscape and an innocent maiden sinks into the deep sea. Inspired by a childhood in the rural Northwest and travels to Asia, the imagery found in my work is rooted in the relentless process of growth and decay.
My paintings are often as much an exploration of materials as they are of ideas. The use of wood grain as a compositional element has led me to employ faux finishing techniques, replicating its look in a transparent layer over the top of finished paintings. Light refracting and luminescent pigments typically reserved for the auto industry find their way into my paintings creating areas of transient reflected light, allowing an image to be visible from one angle and disappear as the viewer moves around the work. Gold leaf, decorative pattern and glossy surfaces pay homage to a world rich in splendor and beauty.