I am a contemporary landscape painter. Influenced by the Canadian Group of Seven, my work focuses on the ecology and scenic quality of the natural environment. My subject matter comes directly from my own prior experience either as a National Park Backcountry Ranger or as a wilderness recreational user. My objective is to transport viewers to these locations and urge them to forge deeper relationships with the land while renewing any connections from their own previous experiences.
With a culture that is increasingly marginalized to urban areas, these paintings share the importance and beauty of the natural landscape with viewers, including with those that may not otherwise be able to experience such a place first hand. By giving the natural landscape, especially wilderness areas, more visibility to the general public, I hope to generate increased interest and stewardship.
I maintain two studios, one in Seattle, WA and another in the remote mountain community of Stehekin, WA. The tension of moving back and forth between the urban and rural landscapes, of large city and tiny community, brings an energy that fuels my creative process and keeps freshness to my work.
