Growing up in the Adirondack Park and Thousand Island regions of New York state, gave me many opportunities to enjoy and learn about not only the natural beauty of the area, but also the animals living there. I'm sure it was this fascination with wildlife and my lifelong interest in drawing and painting that encouraged me to focus on wildlife art and begin my career as a professional almost 30 years ago.
Primarily working with acrylic paint, I make every effort to observe and understand each of my subject matters, with the intent to honor the animal in a painting or drawing. The challenge is to render each animal accurately with regards to anatomy and color, and still create a piece of art that is interesting and distinctively as mine. Generally, my art is characterized by strong compositions and meticulous accuracy of details, with the ultimate goal to accurately portray animals in their natural habitat. Sometimes, the research to learn and understand each animal takes as much time as the actual painting itself. Observation is key to any of my paintings.
Inspiration comes from my lifelong curiosity and fascination of all living things and my many personal experiences while traveling to places all over North America and Africa.
"Painting grants me the ability to express my fascination and appreciation for the natural world without saying a word. This allows me to connect with some really nice people who enjoy those same amazing things. I think when people look at my art, it might help them recall a magical moment in their own lives or perhaps allows them to enjoy a special moment in mine. Either way, some great connections are made."
In addition to receiving numerous awards and much recognition for my animal art, I have taken part in many regional, national and international wildlife art shows. I am also a member of the Worldwide organization, The Society of Animal Artists.
