Stability. Simplicity. Surface. Structure. Geometry. Pattern. Pentimento. Serenity. Zen. Stillness.

These words that I wrote on a piece of paper when I was seeking to define those elements that I aspire to bring out in my painting—these words both center and motivate me, and allow me to discover qualities that I hope to transmit inherently to the viewer. Images based almost entirely on colors and their juxtapositions, sometimes accompanied by graphic or organic elements, present themselves to me and comprise the foundation for much of my work today.

In addition to the importance of color, the features of the image plane are critical to my painting; I paint on a plaster-like surface that lends a delicious, tactile quality and a play of light. I begin by lathing a near-random pattern of material upon the board, often with additions of thicker elements that presage the composition. Two important events happen as a result of working the surface: the image plane changes from a two-dimensional space to three; and the shimmer of light and color is enhanced through the small shadows of the third dimension and the physical qualities of the surface material. Then, layer upon layer of thin color is built up in a structural manner, resulting in a related spectrum that appears intermittently from high and low points of the surface.

I have been told that my work gives my viewers a sense of quiet and stillness, and I believe that these subtle qualities can imbue the environment in which my work ultimately finds itself—that of the person who chooses to live with these pieces—complementing and enhancing the serene ambience of a treasured refuge.