Upcoming and Ongoing Events

2009

    Riverfront Art Gallery  132 Petaluma Blvd. North,  Petaluma,  CA    

http://www.riverfrontartgallery.com

Calistoga Art in the Park - June 20th

http://www.calistogaartcenter.org/artinthepark.html   

Petaluma Art and Garden Festival - July 12th

http://www.petalumadowntown.com/artandgardenpetaluma.aspx

Scott's Valley Art and Wine Festival, Scott's Valley - August 8 & 9th

http://www.svchamber.org/ArtandWineFestival.htm

Petaluma Art in the Park - Sept 12th and 13th

http://www.petalumaarts.org/

Healdsburg Arts Festival  -  September 26th

http://www.plazaartscenter.org/PAC/Art_Festival.html

San Carlos Art and Wine Festival, San Carlos - October 10th & 11th

http://www.artsopolis.com/event/detail/50449

Plaza Arts Center, Healdsburg, CA - September 21st thru October 18th -  Reception September 25th (5 - 7:00)   

http://www.plazaartscenter.org/PAC/Home.html

2008

    Sabbatical - Around the World overland adventure from October, 2007 through November, 2008

2007

    Salute to the Arts, Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma, CA   05,06-August, 2007

    Plaza Arts, 130 Plaza St., Healdsburg, CA  01- March, 2007 thru 27- March, 2007

    Napa Valley Mustard Festival, Napa, CA (Juried/Benefit)

    Art from the Heart - Sonoma State University (Juried/Benefit), Rohnert Park, CA

I was born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan, and migrated to California after graduating with a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin.  Since moving to California I have worked at a variety of creative positions in Information Technology.  However, from an early age, there was always this desire to make my living as a landscape artist.

I have been painting for the last 12 years and have been largely self-taught.  Whenever possible, I attend classes and take advantage of seminars and workshops presented by local artists such as Jeanette LeGrue, Tom Soltesz, Marsha Connell and Richard McDaniel.

I’ve been very fortunate to travel and visit many of the great art collections in the world and particularly admire the early California landscape artists – Maynard Dixon, William Wendt, Thomas Hill and Edgar Payne. This group of painters continues to be an inspiration and a model for my own work.

My work to date has been exclusively plein air landscapes and I generally like to complete each painting in one session.  Frequently I struggle to put down the first dab of paint while other times I agonize over when to quit.  However, something always comes from each experience and I realize this will be a life long challenge.

I’m trying to improve my composition qualities and develop a more liberated style of painting as I evolve.  Too often, I concentrate on the details and miss the overall mood of the scene.  I’m also doing a few larger pieces in studio, forcing myself away from the details and into a broader scope.

Fortunately, this area provides year round opportunities to pursue my hobby as a landscape painter.  I really love the out of doors, so being able to create and be outside is the best of both worlds. Every location is a challenge and an opportunity to learn something – about painting, about myself, about life.

I work on location every weekend and take advantage of the incredible diversity of the area. Currently, I’m painting the many beaches along the Sonoma Coast, one of the most beautiful and inspiring locations in all of California. The juxtaposition of the sky, ocean and landfall provides a rich backdrop for any creative process, and I feel honored to share my interpretation of this experience in my work.

It’s never been a question of ‘why do I paint’ – rather, it’s been a question of -  ‘how can I structure my life so that I can paint full time ’.