Since the 1990s, my work has largely revolved around nature and humankind’s place in it. My initial exploration began with land and seascapes done in the classical "au plein air" tradition, something I continue to explore in both its purest form and in new, modified ways using oil paints, watercolor and encaustics.

Land, sea and the overall mysticism I see as inherent to nature, are the prominent features of my entire body of work. My artistic vision hinges on the idea that we are linked to nature through an unbreakable—albeit vulnerable--bond of symbiotic nourishment. Just as nature cares for us, we must care for nature. I try to represent this bond using a variety of media and materials that are both manmade and naturally occurring. 

Boatyards

In 2006, I began a series of realistic oil paintings that depict the crowded waterfront of Sausalito, California, where I had a studio at the time. I have continued that work more recently in the harbor of Greenport, New York.

The work is informed by my lifetime spent sailing, working and living on boats. I feel compelled to capture the unique spirit of these boatyards and vessels when they are both active and idle, because they represent that special link between man and the sea.

I am also drawn to this work because I see it as a dying art—once prevalent and now fading, paintings of boats have always been reflections of their times. Now, with the disappearance due to development overshadowing our waterfronts and marine railways being turned into condominiums, it is interesting to return to a traditional way of painting these historic vessels and seaports from a contemporary perspective. With these works, I hope to capture the craft and history of seafaring and boat construction at a moment in time at which they are threatened with obsolescence.

Nautical Musings

Begun in 2009, this is my latest series. These dreamlike collages are a combination of my own photography and Xerox transfers of images with encaustic wax.