I paint acrylic on wood starting with marks, texture and floods creating random effects. My next steps develop structure by alternating additive and reductive responses, through echoing color, movement, and figure/ground shifts. My finish balances random and structured elements into harmonious statement. The balance of things
random and controlled acts as metaphor
for how we encounter life.
Aesthetically I subscribe to Rembrandt’s pursuit of the viewer as a partner. He used implied line and other devices to engage the viewer in a assembling images. My paintings address this partnership through their give and take between random & structured effects.
My goal is to express a working together that generates a sum greater than the parts, a Gestalt offering visual connection & partnership – an interaction with the viewer completing the painting. My paintings succeed when they offer this
connection and, with each encounter, a feeling both familiar and giving fresh new discovery.
Professionally, I’ve invested in two pursuits. As an educator, I taught Art in the Rockford IL Public Schools, Art History at Sauk Valley Community College and Art Education at Rockford University. I earned a BA in Art Ed and later a graduate degree in Drawing from NIU.
As a studio artist I’ve created and exhibited for many years. I’ve had the good fortune to enjoy and share affiliations with groups of artists.
For several years I was a partner in Rockford’s Gallery Ten, Prairie Street Gallery and recently, Rockford IL based Art Matters.