My work concentrates on landscapes centered around commercial architectural settings such as strip malls and big box stores. These types of settings are common in the suburban landscape and highlight the culture of consumerism and convenience in which we live. I find these subjects in my surroundings appealing due to familiarity, evidence of time, qualities of light, implications of metaphor and narrative, and arrangement of the formal design elements. I paint in oils on wood and aluminum panels and draw with conte crayon and pastel on drafting film. Photographic references are the source images as they allow me to capture a wide range of subjects, views, and the specificity of the place. Drawing is important to me. I usually start by creating sketches of subjects. I might then start a larger value drawing or begin a painting of the composition. The process of drawing is fast and direct, allowing me to quickly discover the shapes, proportions, values, and placement of the forms, while also experimenting with mark marking and texture. With both, drawing and painting, the works are created with the goal of capturing the overall qualities of the scene that intrigued me from the start while also using discoveries made during the process.

Recently, I have been able to return to painting landscapes outside, en plein air, during the summer. I've enjoyed reconnecting with the experience of working from life which I find to be deeply personal, engaging, and challenging. Painting plein air has influenced my studio practice by adding directness and vitality to my painting process. It has also helped me limit my palette and be more familiar with color mixtures I can use to capture any particular spot of color. Working on location forces me to work quickly, generalize, and to stay flexible while chasing the light and make adjustments as needed in the process.