As a plein air painter I work in the seacoast of New Hampshire, along downeast Maine, and wherever my travels take me. There is nothing quite as wonderful and challenging as painting in the midst of nature as the elements shift around you. I think of myself as an observational painter. I like to begin by looking outward. What catches my interest may be a simple juxtaposition of color, shape or light. Trees often call me, or an old house that seems to have a story to tell.  At some point in the painting process this outward gaze shifts inward. Now I respond to the mark making on the canvas. In the best moments an inner sense emerges of what the painting wants to be and I follow this.

When New England winters push me inside I look for the “landscapes” in my studio, or call on sensory memories to carry me into projects for the winter.  This yearly retreat is an invitation for invention and a new kind of play.  I value the energy of both outdoor and studio work in my painting life. Like salt and pepper, I would hate to have to choose.