Sunshine and Sandstone, 24x30 oil on linen, won the Environmental Award at the 6th Annual Coastal Splendor Invitational Art Show. The painting is currently hanging in the Irvine Museum, located in Irvine California. www.irvinemuseum.org
P.O. Box 2952, Capistrano Beach, California, United States
Since I was very young, I was exposed to both the joys and frustration of painting. My mother was a professional painter, and I was taken to almost every gallery, outdoor show, and museum in the Los Angeles area before I was nine. I didn’t know at the time, what a polarizing effect that exposure would have on me till I found myself reexamining my love to paint at age thirty. With two small babies, I was determined to balance a career in painting and still be a devoted mother.
Today, I divide my time between painting on location and in the studio. Most of all the larger studio paintings are created from both the small outdoor studies and photos I have taken while painting. The small studies provide the color notes that photos cannot capture and the photographs have the reference of a little more detail that is sometimes needed.
Light is probably the most important element I look for when composing a painting, yet sometimes the tonal effect of a strong atmosphere can also grab my attention. I try not to focus on detail, but strive to exhibit a personal vision with my composition. Sometimes it’s what is left out in our painting that can equate to a stronger painting.