Statement

Direct experience with the landscape is the cornerstone of my artistic practice. I primarily paint en plein air with oil to capture my initial experience on location. Sometimes, I will use watercolor or gouache, depending on how much I want to carry that day. No matter what materials I use, the marks and colors captured outside inform my more extensive work back in the studio.

The desert has an ineffable quality, and painting is the only way to transcribe my experiences. My current work focuses on the Mojave Desert, with a recent focus on the Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. Observational study through painting, or sometimes just simply watching the environment around me, generates questions and a further desire to understand the environment I paint. The more time I spend outside, the more I research the landscape, the plants, and the area's history. My studio work incorporates the location's essence and an additional layer of process informed through further readings about the area. It's an ongoing exercise of observing, learning, and painting. Ultimately, my work seeks to transmit my love and wonder for the land I paint.