Drawings & Paintings Oil Acrylic Watercolor
About the Artist
I moved to Bridgton in 2003 to pursue a full-time art career and fulfill a lifelong dream of converting an old farmhouse into a studio. Born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey, I moved to Maine in 1972, and attended USM Gorham from 1974-1977. I had the privilege of studying painting with Veronica Benning for several years, and my work still reflects her influence. My interest in color relationships and the painted surface is directly related to the years at USM.
About the Work
I try to maintain a visual excitement in my work. Sometimes I flirt with abstraction, but my vision is always grounded in reality. Understanding the abstraction of each work pulls it together, makes it solid and substantial - I strive to find the right balance. The best paintings are the ones that maintain the energy and freshness of a preliminary sketch while being richly fleshed out by the paint - just enough paint to say "it's finished" but not enough to make it stiff and lifeless. I want each work to have a "presence".
The subject matter may vary, but the process and the goal are always the same. Analyze the abstract, draw and paint with passion, finish off with a light touch. Sometimes I even get it right ... but it's always a challenge and not always successful. It's in my blood, I have to do it, I've stopped asking why!
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