Artist Statement:

I find people fascinating. I enjoy watching them engage with their environment. What motivates them?

What are they thinking? How are they interacting with other's? With the viewer of the painting? Do they create thoughts in the viewer?

When working in the world of marketing, I read everything I could about motivation.

What made people do what they do. How do they react to situations, events, colors, what they see, and most importantly, other people.

Today I carry this forward. Each painting is designed to capture the viewer in a story.

I want their imagination to be triggered, so that they invent their own story, around their personal experiences.

The story must be about something everyday that each of us has come across.

In addition there has to be a technical challenge linked to the story.

The technical aspect maybe in depicting feeling in color, or creating an expression on the face of someone in the painting that drives a thought in the viewer.

Many artists I know get into a groove painting images that they have found sell well.

They get continual feedback from their successful sales. The work they are producing is liked by others. Their customers keep coming back for more.

This flow of positive feedback means that they keep turning out images that (hopefully) will be loved by their audience and bring them a steady income.

This motivation is reinforced by their spouse and family, who like the security.

Perhaps because I have never found this cocoon of comfort.

Perhaps because I have turned away buyer feedback because it did not jibe with my own feelings as to what was good work.

Upon completing an artwork, I always look for a new challenge – a new approach to convey my message.

For years I have always been looking for the next mountain to climb. I am never satisfied with what I am producing.

Maybe I have missed opportunities. Maybe I confuse my customers. I probably discourage agents and galleries.

But I am lucky in that I do not have to depend upon my sales to pay for the bread on my table. And, I have reached an age when I am not out to impress anyone.

I paint what I enjoy painting. I am always trying to do better.

Of course, I have the problem of storing a lot of unsold painting. But I have partly solved that by giving them away – either to friends and family, or donating them to local charity fund-raisers.

The future should be interesting – at least too me!

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Photo Credit: Josh Hulstein.