I love to paint animals because I feel an ability to connect with them. Their simplicity and unmasked feelings delight me and I find their antics amusing.
What style is your work?
I would describe my pet portraits as contemporary - between realism and impressionism with the use of expressive color.
Why do you use pastels? They excite me. They are pure vivid color and you can draw and paint with them simultaneously. I use color intuitively and they allow me to lay down color immediately and to work loosely. It was one of those love affairs at first sight, really.
What are pastels? They are pure pigment which comes from grinding stones from the earth down into a powder. This powder is mixed with a liquid binder to form a paste (pastel) and then rolled into a stick form. They are considered to be the most durable of mediums. Murals, dating back to 15000 B.C., painted with pure pigment have been found in the caves of Lascaux, France and Altamira, Spain. Born in 1675, Rosalba Carriera, a woman of Venentian descent, was the first to use pastel as a medium of it's own.
Did you study art? Yes, I studied painting and photography at MECA (Maine College of Art). It was wonderful training and I use it in everything I do. Later on in California I studied pastel painting with Judy Nachazel. She is a wonderful teacher and was very patient with me. I wanted to know everything immediately.
Who has inspired you? That changes as I change and there have been many over the years. Let me name a few living artists who are pastellists: Ramon Kelley, Wolf Kahn, Albert Handell, Sandra Burshell, Carole Katchen. From the past some that come to mind are Degas, Lautrec, Mary Cassatt, Robert Henri, Chase Childe. The sculpture of Henry Moore and the architecture of Frank Gehry really inspire and resonate with me.
Have you always made art? Yes, as a young child my grandmother would take me to the local stationery store in Saginaw, Michigan which sold art supplies. She would allow me to select paper, colored and graphite drawing pencils and I would draw for hours. Later on, as a pre-teen, I copied faces endlessly from magazines. A number of years later my Dad took me to the Detroit Art Museum for a visit. It was there I saw a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1652)entitled Judith and Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes. It just left me in awe, completely dumbstruck. I remember standing beneath it transfixed for a very long time. Not only was the painting magnificent with dramatic light but it was painted by a woman. That was the first time I realized a woman could paint. It was an expansive thought.
Do you have a pet? I have an Airedale terrier named Turbo (Bobo for affection). He came to me four years ago through SouthWest Airedale Terrier Rescue. Rusty, who oversees the large western states territory, was brilliant in matching us up. He is funny, really, really, funny and smart and just all around perfect. Someone once said he would take over my heart, and then my home, and then my life, and in that order. They were right. I will always be grateful to Rusty. You can find their Airedale rescue organization listed on my link page.
I'm interested in having a portrait done. How do I begin? Contact me and we will discuss your pet and the particulars that are specific to your desired painting. My email address is below and on the Contact page. I will be glad to call you if you include your phone number in your email. I am available to meet with you as well and you will find this information on the terms page. I require a deposit of 50% to begin a commission.