Most of the landscapes I paint start out on location and slowly evolve from painting "en plein air" to finishing the piece in the studio. What draws me to a certain location is a combination of many things. What I see in the landscape is what evokes a certain mood, which is determined mostly by the time of day, or lighting, or by the contours of the land. I see rolling hills and long shadows as being peaceful, quiet, and serene. Rocks and crashing water create in me a feeling of tension, excitement and movement. Often I want to put on canvas the feeling of a hot, humid, summer afternoon. Color, lighting and atmosphere are all altered by the humidity in the air. What I begin on location I try to continue in the studio in order to bring out that spontaneity, freshness, and mood and the sense of being there, at the scene that attracted me in the first place.
Paintings in the railroad series include railroad equipment, structures, engines, boxcars, and cabooses in various states of use and decay. To the casual viewer, the display of utilitarian machines may seem unattractive. I hope to elevate the subject matter to allow the viewer the opportunity to explore the arrangement of shapes, colors, light, and textures and ultimately discover the beauty and character that exists within them.