I paint on location, amid nature, observing directly. Only in this way can you study the true colors and shapes, get the sense of space and distance, see what the light is doing, feel the temperature, and really experience a place. The on-site painter is challenged by time, changing shadows, moving clouds, wind, and, sometimes, discomfort, but it's all worth it because when you are there, your four-dimensional awareness becomes part of the painting and gives it authenticity.
I don't paint from photos, as photography is a distinct, creative medium of its own, that records information and captures instants of time. Its optical technology "sees" the world in a way that is unhelpful to what I want to do in painting, which is not to render photographic detail from a fixed perspective or a single moment, but to engage with and interpret nature for myself. I may subtly change relative sizes or angles of view to create a composition.
The painting is therefore a product of my own seeing, my own selection, and my own alterations. It is a composite of changes over time. It represents choices made. I have the artistic freedom to express and create sensation and feeling, and tap into memories. I'm seeking to convey emotional truths, the beauty of nature, and the sense of particular places.
Painting outdoors is meditative; one slows down to the rhythm of nature. Really looking at the landscape, I am conscious of the seasonal changes, and the cycle of decay and rebirth. Painting is for me an affirmation of the life-force.
I hope you like my work, and find in it relevant connections with your own life experiences.
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