ARTIST'S STATEMENT

My paintings are primarily about color. Composition and subject matter are used to further the impact of color. Color is a powerful emotional tool and those emotions are necessary to appreciate a two dimensional image derived from an infinite reality. How colors react with each other has always been of interest to me, from childhood, through school, to the present. For me, the dividing line between colors is the magic point and is reflected in my style.

Composition is a balancing act involving colors and multiple images (diptychs and triptychs). Combining images tells a particular story that is personal; my way of seeing far away and close up, of looking out and in. Sometimes, the image stands alone, its story complete. In the end, color always dictates the focus of my compositions. It draws the viewer's attention to the moment of inspiration and creation.

Subject matter is defined by where I am and where I have been. I was raised in the American Southwest and now live at the Pacific Ocean and in the Mojave Desert. Light and shadow are concentrated in both of these environments. The contrasts are stark and the shapes abstracted. Both settings present the viewer with mystery; vistas that end as well as go on forever, darkness that seems to swallow light, light that floats around you. Subjects are also chosen because of my interest in archaeology and geology. Petroglyphs are a connection to other artists. Although their traditions may be different than mine, their need to visualize is the same. Walls and doorways are confining and liberating, reflecting the tensions in my art. As in composition, the choice of subjects is always dictated by color; the red of a cliff, the orange of a sunset, the blue of a midday sky.

My art reflects a primary interest in the visual aspects of my existence and the need to share that interest. My perceptions are taken care of when the painting is done. At that point the viewer's perceptions take over.