Biophilia is the idea that all humans intuitively seek out a connection with nature. Through painting, I investigate nature by  deconstructing, then reimagining it through line & shape, pattern & rhythm, and most importantly color. Through a series of fits & starts, dots & dashes, painted lines & brush strokes I strive to develop an overall surface teeming with pattern using an amped-up color palette. As I piece together assorted visual fragments, my aim is for the viewer to establish an emotional connection to the natural world. Paintings on paper are framed with a white mat and black frame. 

Botanical paintings are a mainstay of my acrylic work.  I begin by printing multiple layers of color and pattern to develop a textile-like quality. These prints become the substrate for up-close and personal color investigations of petals as they unfurl, buds dripping with morning dew, flower heads that stretch toward the sun, and spikey stems that twist and contort. Earlier time spent in the garden planting, watering, and pruning translates to a similar process in the studio. Often, I use the alla prima technique, where colors are mixed directly on the surface. Through these paintings I pay homage to the Pattern & Decoration movement, the last art movement of the 20th century.

These botanical paintings have been inspired by my daughter's garden and the pollinators that visit there. Oil paints are mixed with white creamy cold wax medium and applied to the panel or paper with spatulas and palette knives, as well as traditional paint brushes for more detailed areas of each composition.  Paintings on paper are framed with a white mat and black frame. 

Painting is my way of celebrating the natural world.  Often, I begin by walking observantly in nature, snapping photos until I capture the most interesting composition.  Photographs inform pencil sketches that are transferred to wood panels. As drawing evolves to painting, up-front planning gives way to a more intuitive approach where colors are often mixed directly on the panel.  Each painting, through a combination of realism and abstraction is a celebration of the natural world.