Artist Statement
My work juxtaposes man and nature. Most of my work deals with elements of nature such as trees and plants that have been changed by man. Usually I find my subject matter in parks, where someone has trimmed or changed the natural elements. I combine man made elements with natural elements to make a composition. Many the prints in my more recent work use the window frame as a compositional element. On my travels, I have recorded views out the window of motels and places I have stayed, and some of them were used as a basis of prints
I work in a symbolic way. The elements such as trees are pared down to their basic shapes, similar to the way young children symbolize their artwork by making basic shapes.
I work in a series to make my work more abstract. I usually start with a photograph where I have captured something of interest. Later, in my studio, I start to make a series of drawings, leaving out more and more of the original image and emphasizing more of one or two elements. I may make a series of prints and paintings using that image, developing the composition as I go.
