Artist Statement

My paintings are contemporary depictions of people within my local communities: family members, friends, coworkers and business owners.
Since being introduced to oil painting over 30 years ago I have been painting people. I am interested in poses that are straightforward and absent of performance. The aim of the casual representation is to creatively capture the depth of who they are. As a contemporary portrait artist, I use realistic techniques to represent the physical level, and then engage the viewer through the simplicity of the composition and subject matter to connect with the person painted beyond the physical. The aim of the artwork is to reflect humanity, and to emotionally move the viewer from observance to engagement.
I work with oil paint as a medium as it reflects not just a singular moment, but a moment that is rendered over a period of time. Painting multiple layers allows for a richness of detail and complexity to emerge. When I focus on the person in front of me, rendering the subject matter through paint on canvas, I believe that something deeper emerges. That something deeper is what I want to capture, explore further, and share with others.