In the fall of 2022 I was reintroduced to painting by artist Carl Ortman. That night in Salida, Colorado lit creative kindling I thought I’d burned through. I spent two decades running publishing companies and being a freelance editor and writer. So much of my love of reading, books, and words was compromised by knowing too much about the professional world of publishing. I endeavored to paint without instruction or any knowledge of the “rules” or the “market.” I have not taken any classes or read any books or even watched more than a handful of YouTube videos about painting. Each night I retreat to my studio and do what comes naturally, building on anything I’ve learned by practicing. Each night is about how I feel, what’s going on in the world, what I’m trying to make sense of, and which colors speak to me when I stand in front of a canvas.

Somewhere along the line I started building complicated puzzles using individual paintings as the pieces. I made whole walls out of large canvases and small canvases and odd sized boards I painted. I believe there are whole stories to be taken from these puzzles if only we have the time, energy, and perspective to find them. So that’s what I do every night. 

Later I introduced the idea of projecting photographs from my personal archives onto the painted canvases to give new energy and life to the captured moments of my life. It has taught me to see people, animals, and places in whole different lights.

I also use whole different lights and colors to further emphasize the discovery process. Here’s a video trying to explain.