Painting has been a part of my life since I was very young. There was always a wealth of paint, brushes, and paintings in the house.
Although I have always felt the artist stirring within me, my early formal studies gave no hint that I would turn out to be a painter. In fact, I graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and I turned down two offers for full scholarships to graduate school to pursue my passion…painting. However, I am grateful for my education because engineering taught me how to think analytically and solve problems. Painting, after all, is as much about problem solving and a technical challenge as it is a passionate filled emotional journey. In its own way engineering can be as highly creative as art. The great and beautiful things man has built testify to that. So when the artist in me waiting to emerge could no longer be denied, I was grateful for the lessons I learned in my university training.My determination and dedication to art has opened up great opportunities. I am fortunate to learn and study with the handful of the great artists of our time. I send my sincere gratitude for their guidance and for sharing their wisdom and knowledge, for all have opened my eyes to the glorious world around me. I no longer just see a tree or a rock; I see the intricate shapes and patterns of light and shadow. I see in terms of pieces of paint.
I now have the great fortune of having Richard Schmid as a teacher and mentor. He graciously shares his knowledge and experience with me, and has opened up my eyes to the infinite possibilities that lie in painting…he has unlocked a glorious world of light!
I am a member of the Putney Painters, an ongoing invitational painting group put together by Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik at the Village Arts of Putney.
I strive to capture the essence of the scene, to break it down and simplify it to the bare essentials that grasp the true heart of the human experience. Painting is a celebration and a glorious privilege of life…it is a way to set voyage and explore new directions.
Beethoven said it best…
"I will seize Fate by the throat. It will not wholly conquer me! Oh, how beautiful it is to live - and live a thousand times over!" –LvB
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