Artist Statement

The subjects in my paintings are taken from the urban landscape of cities across the United States.  They capture cross sections of deteriorating industrial structures and represent the strength and durability of some of the things man has built.  The viewer can feel the weight of steel and see the effects of weather on the rusted pipes and textured, decaying, wood.

I create my compelling compositions through my camera lens.  By scanning the landscape this way I discover many patterns, shapes, and angles.  Where the angles converge at a point, an abstract composition is formed.  Sometimes I zoom in on an object and realize that it isn’t what I thought.  A small white rectangle becomes an area of sky reflecting on a door; A pale green blob becomes a series of pipes covered in rust.

I try to choose ambitious subjects for my paintings; the ones that are unique and evoke nostalgia, without being too sentimental. The outcome is a series of provocative shapes that come together to create a composition that is out of the ordinary, often not revealing  the entire subject.

I am meticulous with the perspective of my architectural subjects and spend many hours perfecting the drawings.  I prefer to work in watercolor, an unexpected  medium for such a bold and gruff subject matter.  I try to capture the mood by using strong colors, in many  layers, as well as different textures and fine details that entice the viewer to come closer, inviting them to imagine what  lies hidden beyond the frame.