Artist Statement

“Understanding, love, and respect” are the principles that drive my art. My sketches and paintings reflect influences from many cultures. For me, however, the cave drawings of southern Europe represent some of the greatest masterworks of all time. I strive to incorporate their free but realistic approach while borrowing colors and techniques from Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, and Klimt.  My work does not labor to invent a radically new style or method. It  does not try to shock or lay bare a harsh reality. It has no message except to celebrate the good, the true, and the beautiful.

The peaks and waterfalls of the White Mountains, Molokai, and the Swiss Alps inspire my work, as do the markets and mosques of Iran and Morocco. I find both dynamism and beauty along the Charles River and the fields around Boston.  Close to home I enjoy sketching the cougars and markhors of the local zoo. I like rendering family members young and old. For spontaneity, I love doing contour sketches of ballet, Flamenco, and Native American dancers, and orchestra conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, and Benjamin Zander. The controlled energies of J.S. Bach, Mozart,  and Wagner underlie my work–even as I try to capture the power of Europe’s largest glacier, the  Aletsh, or the quiet majesty of Walden Pond.