I became acquainted with myself as an artist as I approached the age of 40. For most of my life I thought of myself as a “left-brain” person, and so I pursued a career in law. I was never happy as a lawyer, and though I practiced law for seven years, it was very easy for me to walk away from it to raise my children. Still, I had a constant feeling that I wasn’t quite doing what I needed to be doing or loved doing, whatever that was.
At some point, the idea that I might actually be capable of painting began popping up in my head. I dismissed it as delusional! But, one day, while making a simple drawing for my daughter, I experienced a moment of pure connection, when I knew that I could really see what I was drawing, and really draw what I could see. I could not stop thinking about that moment, and obtained the name of a local artist for some private lessons.
An unexpected burst of creative energy followed. Drawing soon led to painting. Over a period of several months, I came to realize that I had had many artistic impulses throughout my life which I never examined closely or even recognized, and that I had unknowingly suppressed an essential part of me. I have met many other artists who tell a similar tale.
What inspires me most are ordinary scenes and moments that we take for granted. I want to capture something about them that makes the viewer take notice and smile at the familiarity of experience. I especially love compositions that convey something- even the smallest thing- happening, about to happen or just having happened, as I believe that creates a bridge for us to enter the scene and relate to it.