People fascinate me, faces intrigue me. I am beguiled by figures and delight in simplifying the form, especially today's woman, in graphic shapes using a richly muted palette, sometimes with a punch of color.

My oil painting style is loose, and I try to capture the essence of what is before me…the pose, the object, the landscape. Simplifying shapes and designing the composition are delightful challenges for me.

My still-lifes are more traditional. I love flowers and paint these gifts of nature with juicy, "brushy" strokes in bright lush colors. My florals are painted en plein air (out of doors) or from bouquets I bring into the studio.

I want to invite the viewer into a painting, to linger looking at it, wondering.

Philosophy

"Live with art and love your life!"

One of my favorite paintings sits on top of the Kleenex box in my bathroom. I put paintings everywhere.

I often paint on a 6x6x1.5 inch stretched canvas. Sometimes it's just fun to do a small painting - kind of like a snack in the afternoon.

I like the "block" appeal of these. I can stack them, tuck them here and there, even put them on the kitchen counter and not worry about water splashing on them (a nice attribute of oil paints—just wipe 'em off).

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