Developing as a painter leads me to close observation of the world and challenges me to use shape, color and light to convey a personal sense of the moment. I enjoy plein air (outdoor) painting locally and while traveling. Most of my paintings are either plein air studies or studio work that began as a plein air painting.
I find my plein air work to be an invaluable personal archive which I supplement with photo references. I enjoy painting seascapes and marine scenes most of all and love it when I can infuse a piece with a sense of a story. Pretty much every place I paint becomes my favorite spot ever. There is magic in staying in one location for 2 to 3 hours and fully absorbing the setting. I paint about 100 paintings each year. Most are in oil though I also enjoy watercolor painting.
While I loved art as a kid, I set it aside for much of my adulthood. Still, I can promise you, I had the most visually beautiful presentations at the industry conferences where I would give talks during my years in the semiconductor software industry.
In 2014, I thought I would start keeping a travel sketchbook and was quickly hooked. Over the course of two years I took pretty much every drawing, painting and color theory class offered at Foothill College. Since then, I have have benefited from private instruction from local artists I greatly admire. Still, the greatest teacher has been nature as I appreciate the power of observation, and learning to see the beauty that is everywhere.
Exhibits/Awards Summary
Triton Museum of Art: Selected for Salon at the Triton statewide 2D art competition (2024 and 2023)
California Art Club: Included in juried shows (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
GBAO at The New Museum Los Gatos: Juried Bay Area Wide 2023/4 biennial exhibit
Los Gatos Art Association: Artist of the Year (2022 – 2nd place, 2021 – 1st place, 2020 – 3rd place). Honorable Mention in Annual Juried Shows (2022, 2021, 2019).
Coastal Art League juried shows (2024 – Honorable Mention, 2023 – 2nd place, 2022 – Honorable Mention)
Harrington Gallery Bay Area “Fresh Works” juried show (2023, 2019)
Redwood Art Association: Humboldt Open Plein Air Event (2022 – Honorable Mention, 2021 – Best Representational Painting)
Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Association: (2021, 2020 – Honorable Mention, 2018 – Emerging Artist Award)
Santa Cruz Art Association: 2021 – Juried into California Landscape Expo