ARTIST STATEMENT

Born on a farm in Nebraska, I spent my youth drawing and sketching everything I laid my eyes on in those vast open fields. My passion for art got deeper in high school and with the help of my mother’s research I enrolled in Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. When I was graduated with a BFA in fine art it dawned on me that I had to find a job to support myself and a new family. Through some lucky connections I got a job in graphic design in Iowa, worked my way up fast, and then took the leap to move to Chicago where I spent many years achieving award-winning work in visual communication, design, and fine art.

Over the past 50 years I've devoted my overall approach in fine art to the emotional connection with the viewer. It seemed natural to always find a way to express emotion in my work. I internalize and mentally capture the excitement and emotions of ideas, thoughts, concepts and questions I have about the world, my own existence, my sense of place, and happenings around me every day. I understand the phrase "I have no words". That happens to many of us sometimes. Yet I do have command of how I express my feelings when I paint. I often think I have feelings that transfer to my paintbrush and on to the canvas, ideas, events, or concepts that I have no words for.

As you look at my work you’ll either feel it or not, but for me it’s a sigh of relief and joy that I left something of myself in the painting. I feel that the emotions I express on canvas will last longer in a visceral way more than words can say.