As I listen to the prevailing wind on Somes Sound whispering through the white pines on a morning on Mount Desert, my thoughts on painting, place and community all blend together. I have always loved art. My parents introduced me to the arts, history and culture in their own special way. Starting in high school, the opportunity to explore different art forms and have wonderful teachers was at my finger tips. I am grateful to all my fellow art students and art teachers for all that they taught me over the years. After studying fine arts and art history at Penn, I continued my studies in painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. I paint in the plein air tradition, enjoying the landscape, still life and interiors as I see them before me. Color, composition and place are my compass. Brush strokes and how color plays on the canvas brings me great excitement. I think of my paintings as “happy” paintings. I paint and make paintings that I hope bring joy and a smile to the observer.