I paint landscapes and work in oil. I’ve painted scenes in California (Bay Area, Sierra Nevada), Washington DC, Taos, Spain, and France. Most of my out of state paintings have been done during workshops with various teachers, and usually with friends in tow.
I’ve been painting since 2011, when my husband and I moved to DC so he could work at the Dept of Justice. I started taking classes at the Yellow Barn Studio, Glen Echo Park just outside DC. in part to meet people, and in part to satisfy my curiosity about painting in general. There I met a cadre of painters who became good friends. Though I have moved back to San Francisco, I stay in touch with my “7Palettes” group , emailing and visiting as often as I can.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Formal art classes ended for me in high school, though I have always managed to be involved in some form of music, theater, and even fashion design …well, umm, making Halloween costumes for my children?? In 2009, a move from San Francisco (our home of 27 years) to Washington DC found me starting at ground zero for finding activities and community. I discovered the Yellow Barn Studio and, on a whim, decided to take a painting class. I loved it! I took more!! Not only did I discover a number of supportive, patient and excellent teachers, I met wonderful classmates!
Alas, my days in DC were numbered… My husband and I returned to the Bay Area in August of 2012. However, despite the distance, I have been fortunate in staying connected with a special group of East Coast friends. We call ourselves the 7Palettes. Occasionally I get back East to see this wonderful band, and sometimes we attend painting workshops together.
Here on the West Coast I paint mostly on my own. From time to time I’ve been lucky enough to work with with local artists Kay Carlson and Donna Reine Taylor: two incredibly talented and patient teachers!
I love painting ‘en plein air,’ and Northern California is abundant with places to paint: the Headlands and rolling hills of Marin, Sonoma & Napa vineyards… I especially enjoy painting the California coastal hills and the Sierra Nevada.
As with many artists, I’m continually working on the many skills necessary to produce a good piece of art. A solid composition is the foundation of any good piece of work: though often something of a challenge in my eagerness to get painting! (There must be some part of me that hopes this small sin of omission can be covered up by other painting skills). Palette choice, brush stroke, brush size, paint thickness, speed—all give me plenty to think about while setting up and executing a painting.
Currently I am focusing on enhancing a strong sense of distance in my landscape paintings. The sense of space created by the coastal hills in California is stunning, and they can be seen everywhere in Northern California. I have a great appreciation (though not necessarily execution) for nuance in color and am working to expand the spectrum of each hue I use. The range of colors just in green pigment is astounding.
“The Journey Is The Goal:” I love the challenge of putting together a painting. I enjoy the fact that I have years of learning ahead of me. It is an intellectual, emotional and very visceral activity; and the tiniest step forward is cause for great joy and celebration–(mostly occurring in my head). Every painting feels like a child: though I take great pride in its appealing facets and though I know its faults all too well, I still love it dearly!
My ultimate goal, in addition to rendering a recognizable scene, is to evoke an emotional response with my paintings, such as a feeling of memory. For example, we often ‘remember’ a place from our childhood as being more lush, brighter, cleaner, larger… I want the painting to have that quality.
