“I loved a camera first, exposing miles of pre-digital film, spending hours behind the lens and in the darkroom, learning about composition and values, hard and soft edges. Combined with years of various other creative pursuits, somehow now it all comes together in a painting. Photographic references continue to be a strong basis for my work, especially with wildlife portraits. I prefer the forgiveness of acrylics, canvases measured by the foot, palette knives and big brushes…but every painting has an element that pulls me in, requiring a finer mark carefully placed.”