About the Artist
A Brief Background
For me painting has become a passion; it's something I have to do for my soul and spirit, it's a religious connection with nature.
My goal as a painter is to convey my personal interpretation of nature through a realistic impressionist manner.
Growing up in a rural Wisconsin town I developed an appreciation and respect for nature through my many hours of exploring the woods and backwaters of the Fox River. It was only natural that my love for art and the outdoors would eventually merge.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a fine arts degree, I began a successful illustration career, working with the traditional tools of the time (pencil, paint and brush), and then transitioning into the digital medium.
ARTIST"S STATEMENT
My dedication as a painter, as someone who needs to translate the real world into a visual poem is a life-long journey.
My goal is to express an emotional response; to capture the essence and mood of the natural world through the language of painting. To me, painting is not a literal representation of nature but a personal impression conveyed through the foundations of composition, value relationships, color harmony, edges and brushwork. These elements are what give work credibility
Plein air painting is the perfect marriage between art and the outdoors. It's nature's classroom where the concepts of light and it's ever changing effect on the visual world can be studied and observed. Because of the changing conditions of the outdoors, it forces me to concentrate on the essentials of the scene without the unnecessary details.
I have always had a deep appreciation and love for nature. It is a privilege to express that connection with paint and brushes. I am inspired by the late afternoon sunlight on the treetops along the water's edge or the rugged snow covered mountains of the west. If I can convey this emotional response to the viewer and elevate their value for the natural world around us with a sense of truth, I have done my job.
RECOGNITION
2003- Arts For The Parks Top 200
2003- two paintings selected for the "family Means Project" Stillwater, MN
2005- Arts For The Parks Top 100
2007- Award of Excellence, Plymouth Primavera Show, Plymouth, MN
2008- Award of Excellence, Plymouth Primavera Show, Plymouth, MN
2008- selected for Nomades Del Arte 2009 Exhibit, Dallas, TX
2009- recipient of OPA's Shirl Smithson Scholarship Award
2009- First Place Oil Category, Savage Arts Council, Savage, MN
2009- Paint The Parks, 2nd 100
2015- 3rd place Steamboat Art Museum's Plein Air Event
2017- 1st place Steamboat Art Museum's Plein Air Event
2019-Honerable Mention Steamboat Art Museum's Plein Air Event
2020- 2nd place award at Steamboat Art Museum's Plein Air Event
2020-selected participant in Colorado National Monument virtual plein air event
2021- Driggs Digs Plein Air Event
2022- award of recognition, White Bear Center for the arts, plein air event, MN
2022- Honorable Mention, Steamboat Museum's Plein Air Event
2022- Mountain Oyster Club Annual Exhibit and Sale
2023- Second place Steamboat Art Museum Plein Air Event
2024- American Impressionist Society 8th Annual Impressions Small Works, Anderson Fine Art, St Simons Island, GA
2024- American Impressionist Society 25th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Rockport, MA
2024- American Impressionist Society Small Works Showcase, Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, CA
2025- BoldBrush Painting Competition April 2025 Finalist
