The exacting realism in my still life paintings expresses the beauty, mystery and sensuality that I find in the ordinary. What interests me most is the challenge of capturing the ephemeral properties of natural objects. Observing the deteriorating transformation of those objects as they react to light, heat and time, and then incorporating those changes as I work is an important element in the outcome of the painting. It is the reason that I work entirely from live observation as opposed to working from photographs. My paintings follow a tradition likened to Northern European Renaissance and Spanish Baroque still life, using layers of translucent color glazes, acute observation, dramatic lighting and exacting draftsmanship.
With the representation of natural forms and color, I hope to offer the solace nature has always provided in times of human difficulties. The purpose of my work is to provide an existential life raft to myself and the viewer, while also preserving the tradition of realism in still life painting.
