Artist Statement
Nature in all its forms lays the foundation for my work. Inspired by the area around the Tennessee River, I’m drawn to trees that stand as witnesses to our comings and goings. They form a border to rivers, creeks, and open water. I feel at home in these surroundings. Water and landscape subject matter and the multiple panels that give pause are essential elements of my expressive style versus my need for order.
A life spent swimming, water-skiing, and sailing, I’ve been a guest in waterworld. On the surface, I can admire the curvilinear abstractions. Below the surface, I am suspended.
Although my freeform images may not reflect it, I paint according to a self-imposed ritual of alternating control with spontaneity. Beginning with wood panels that have been goldleafed, I paint in layers of acrylics, then periodically sand into areas to reveal the initial surface, creating a history narrated by texture and form. As a sculptor and a painter, I solve that dilemma by combining the two when I carve into the surface.
Although a native Memphian, I’ve been fortunate to be able to spend a great deal of time in the wild. My imagery has varied in medium and form throughout my life as an artist, but my inspiration has always been rooted in nature.
