My oil paintings focus on the natural beauty of my surroundings. They are real places and events, not imagined. Living near the ocean, I am constantly aware of the elements. My current work is an exploration of the perpetual motion of the tides, the reflective quality of water, and the sea’s ever-changing moods. The transition from day to night or calm to storm also serve as inspiration. I am interested in conveying the soul of a place and exploring the boundary between realism and abstraction. The subject is color, the play of light and shadow, the relationship of shapes and their subtle interaction. Extreme light and the abstract shapes that result are aspects I like to both exaggerate and simplify. Less is more. I try to paint what I see and not what I know. My paintings evolve through observation, trial and error, persistence and my own photographs as aids. It is the fleeting beauty, unexpected color and vibrancy of place that inspire and energize me.