On the effects of light and weather in my paintings...

As an artist, I want the viewer to feel the coolness of an incoming storm or the warmth of the sun as it blankets a field in its light. People today are often stuck inside an office, rarely seeing the sun, and have very little time to enjoy the beauty that surrounds them. It is my hope to remind my audience of the beauty of nature, giving them, through my paintings, a relationship with the land that is so quickly turning into shopping malls and sub-divisions. I want the viewer to feel a connection with my paintings, recollecting the feelings and memories of past times or places.

On still life painting...

When I set up a still life, I usually try to paint things that are natural, or organic.  I like things simple, not because I cannot paint a large set up, but because I like the focus to be on one or two things.  Many times, I will cut or peel a piece of fruit to show the difference in color from the inside to the out.  I also like to play with the light, minimizing its field so that it just barely finds the fruit.  I will sometimes put, say an apple, in the shadows and another in the light.  This changes the colors of a similar object and helps create a sense of depth.  I prefer to use natural light opposed to a spotlight.  Natural light is softer and cooler where as a spotlight tends to be yellow and warm.