Artist Statements

Ship series The inspiration for my paintings comes from the working side of the maritime world—the colors and textures of tankers, containerships and rusty old bulk carriers. I’ve known this environment all my life. The colors and markings on these working ships are endlessly varied and often starkly beautiful, especially at the waterline. The rusted scrapes, drips and smears; the characteristic lettering and numbers, give each vessel a distinct personality. These ships travel the world, and each port they visit leaves its mark, which inscribes the story of each ship on its skin. Most of my work begins with an image from this seldom-painted side of the maritime world. Rather than paint a ship from stem to stern, I focus in “close-up” on its markings. I keep in mind a favorite saying of my teacher Charles Emerson: “Reality is highly over-rated.” I thus manipulate color, perspective, composition, and texture, and as a result my paintings include realistic images that become abstract canvasses. View series ...

Sail series I believe that most things in my life happen randomly, but my new paintings refute that notion. I would say my sail series represents the intersection of events from my past and the present and culminates in work that melds the experiences that span those many years. My interest in sailing started at a young age. I grew up in San Francisco immersed in the maritime culture there. I spent many pleasurable weekends with my dad on his sail boat and also racing with him in San Francisco Bay. During an artist residency in Gloucester, Massachusetts, I realized that sail making had changed a lot over the years. I was naturally attracted to the old dacron sails I knew as a youngster, but the new sails really fascinated me. The world of sailboat racing has changed, too. I began to research the monumental sails used in America’s Cup races over the years, met with a master sailmaker and was guided by those in the sailmaking business who explained current sail construction with new technology and materials. I also talked to Puget Sound sailors about one-design racing fleets and sailing on the Sound. The old and the new, the past and the present; my connection to both is not random at all. View series ...

Artist Statements

Ship series

Sail series