Jagged or water-worn rocks, moss-covered earth, gleaming birch trees, and chameleon rivers of West Virginia are my subjects.  I paint the West Virginia of private dwellings beneath fragrant, blossoming trees enclosed by monoliths and carpeted with strange moss, or the "secret" waters glittering and flowing over smooth rocks, teeming with minnows that I chased as a child. 

Drawing on these lasting memories and coupled with the experience of field studies, I use paint as a means to capture the fluidity and power of nature.  The act of painting is central.  The dialogue between studio-based practice along with a plein air experience allows for investigation and improvisation.   Using acrylic washes, gestural strokes, or pours of paint, I establish a rhythmic, abstracted composition.  Heavy areas of impasto oil paint are then introduced in key areas of the composition - the result is a reflection of the essence of the landscape.  Retained is a relative simplicity of form along with an economy of strokes that are utilized to construct a strong image.

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