I can remember feeling the happiest when I visited the upper states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington, then on up to Canada many years ago. I loved the streams, forests and waterfalls that we would come across hiking or camping. I believe this is what inspired me to want to Plein Aire paint.

I’ve been all over the world, as I love to travel, but what I love the most is being outdoors next to a body of water. The color of water is ever changing; not just within an area but also with the changes in weather. Capturing color is fascinating and challenging. Being able to replicate the color in nature as I visually see it and feel it, gives me a sense of meaningfulness. Great Plein Aire artist groups such as the Hudson River Valley artists and the Group Seven from Canada were all dedicated to preserving these beautiful landscapes in their imagery. One of my goals is to capture these areas before our civilization destroys them for more hi-ways and by-ways.

To leave a legacy of masterfully painted landscapes, like that of Tom Thompson, Robert Genn, and Thomas Cole, just to name a few, is one of my goals and inspiration.

Landscapes