One big WHY I paint is that, above all, I have that artistic urge.  I’ve always liked to make things, paint things, create things (starting with a long career as a graphic designer and illustrator).  I’ve dabbled in many different skills to “fabricate”; I’ve tried sewing, weaving (I used to own a large floor loom), basket making (not underwater), quilting (totally failed attempt), faux painting walls and murals, and decorative painting on furniture.  After I retired from my graphic design career, my foray into furniture painting led me to realize again how much I like to express myself with paint and brushes.

When I committed myself to painting “fine art” I found a deeper meaning to expressing and connecting:  If my work can just connect with the viewer on more than one level, then I can hope that one little ripple might make a positive difference somewhere else.

ripple effect: noun —a spreading effect or series of consequences caused by a single action or event.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. ~Mother Teresa

My inspiration from birds and plants and landscape is simple: I find it all incredibly beautiful. I don’t depict individual birds, though; I choose to idealize them. And I place them in a symbolic scenario. I don’t strive to copy a scene in nature; I idealize and symbolize what interests me about that particular imaginary environment.

The history of nature in art is essentially the history of art itself. Animals and plants as subject matter have always been a major part of art and literature. Back as far as Paleolithic cave paintings in France and in ancient Egyptian reliefs, animals have inspired artists as allegories, muses and reflections on human nature and mythology. The ancient Greeks elevated the imitation of nature to high art and the Renaissance perfected that tradition. Every man-made decoration from cathedrals to tapestries on the wall of a palace to embroidered tea towels for the kitchen are inspired by the nature around us.

Of course, modern art movements have often rejected any reference to recognizable subject matter by employing abstraction and non-objectivism. I seem to be taking the middle way — somewhat abstract backgrounds combined with realistically stylized subject matter: but always inspired by nature.

Yesterday I started a large canvas project in the NoBo Art District booth at the Firefly Handmade Market ( a very cool, high quality craft fair).  I spent a couple of hours getting the project started with some of my stencils and lots of rollers, paint and elbow grease.  I had help from several artistic observers and it was starting to look pretty interesting by the time I left. I went back over today and some other artists have had fun adding to it.  I can’t wait to see the final finished canvas.

Open Studios 2015 is a thing of history — lots of work to get ready, lots of visitors and lots of questions asked:  What are your paintings about? or the one that bugs me a little: What are you trying to say?

I don’t actually think a successful painting has to “say” anything if that means it has to be edgy to be relevant.  My paintings are about the creation of something beautiful and interesting to me and, hopefully, to the viewer.  If it is visually compelling, it will have accomplished what I want to express.

My paintings are about many things.  Nature and design — pattern and symbolism— abstract and figurative.  The pieces explore natural forms (birds, leaves, branches, flowers, mountains) and patterning both natural and designed by humans (artists!)   My pieces inspire the human spirit, revealing a connection between us and the beauty of our environment.

“Beauty is. It is as natural as breathing. Its allure is transforming and I never thought art was about anything else.“–  Robert Zakanitch