I am inspired by many things:  the stories that can be told through objects and gestures;  color and the play of light and shadow on all manner of subjects; distant views and the vast, abstract shapes of nature; the changing moods of the sky; and the visual qualities of reflections both on water and other objects.  Painting keeps me connected in a positive way to this physical world and also to the world of memories, experiences and feelings. 

My technique varies a bit depending on the composition and desired effect. Starting with a strong composition and good drawing, I apply paint in a painterly manner, then utilize layers of glazes to magnify or adjust colors, sometimes scrubbing, wiping, or scratching away paint to reveal the ground color again.  My paintings combine traditional oil painting techniques with contemporary subjects & compositions.  My hope is that others will enjoy my paintings as much as I have enjoyed making them. 

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I have been affected by the work of many artists and schools of thought. 

My favorite artists include:

          Rembrandt
        Vermeer, Ruisdael, and other Dutch Masters
          John Constable
          Edouard Manet
          Camille Pissarro
          Edgar Degas
          Frederic Edwin Church and other Hudson River Painters
          John Singer Sargent
          William Merritt Chase
          Willard Metcalf
          Russian artists: Levitan, Zakharov, Timkov, Tkachev
          Mark Rothko
          and many artists working today:
                   Jacob Collins
                   Sam Vokey
                   Thomas Buechner
                   Paul Oxborough                
                   Richard Schmid                        
                   David Leffel             
                   Ken Howard R.A.
                   Phillip Geiger
                   Russell Chatham
                   Quang Ho
                   Kim English
                   Ron Hicks
                   Ken Auster
                   Sally Strand
                   William Hook
                   Michael Workman
                   Jared Sanders
                   Andrej Skorut
                   Eric Aho
                   Janet Fish
                   Gerhard Richter
                   April Gornik 
                   Alice Dalton Brown