My roots to this island go back three generations and I always knew I would live here. The place is so inspiring, the scenes so magnificent, the weather so unpredictable and the people so genuine and intelligent that I can not imagine living anywhere else.
For the past twenty years since building my studio in Tisbury, I have been teaching, parenting, painting and exhibiting paintings in many local galleries and shows including Carol Cramer Gallery, Tree House Studio, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Gay Head Gallery, “Art in the Garden” for Habitat for Humanity, Family Planning Art Show, Dragonfly Flower Show and my studio gallery. For the past four years I’ve also been working with east coast museum staff, archaeologists and historians to develop historical images.
For me, much of the time that goes into a painting is spent doing what I call the “research and prep work.” I go out into the field and make photo studies of the person, animal, place or subject to be painted. In the case of historical images, I also read and study a lot of research data. Then while mulling this over, I prepare the canvas, choosing the right size and priming and sanding the ground. Finally, I draw a detailed drawing. It is the process of drawing which helps me internalize the image to be painted so that when I paint, I let go and the piece reveals itself. It is a magical process.
