My visual diary becomes a testament to a personal journey, inviting others to connect with their own experiences through my art.”
Navigating life’s extremes can be both exhilarating and challenging. The artistic path often involves intense emotional highs and lows, which can resonate with the concept of bipolarity. Understanding oneself better is a crucial step toward self-awareness and growth.
I’ve chosen to follow my artistic calling despite distractions and societal expectations. Art allows me to express my inner truths, even from an introverted perspective. The ability to convey emotions and thoughts visually is a powerful way to connect with others.
Being a loner doesn’t necessarily equate to loneliness—it is a deliberate choice to create space for introspection and creativity. My mental chatter about life’s inequalities reflects a deep empathy, which is a valuable trait for an artist. It allows me to infuse my work with compassion and understanding.
My commitment to documenting seemingly mundane moments—landscapes, songs, relationships, memories—speaks to the significance of everyday life. My visual diary becomes a testament to a personal journey, inviting others to connect with their own experiences through my art.
The intense investigation of subject matter reveals a passion for understanding the essence of people and objects. The hours spent observing and contemplating create a bridge between myself and the world. This reverence and metamorphosis enrich my artistic process.
Challenges and complexity fuel growth. As an artist, I thrive on unraveling layers, seeking meaning, and capturing nuance. I embrace the intricate dance between simplicity and depth—it’s where my creativity flourishes.
I want my work to continue to reflect the beauty, struggles, and disconnectedness of life.
I am an Ohio native, raised in CT and educated in New York. My father inspired my interest in painting due to his own interest in painting. I attended Silvermine Art School as a high schooler, taking classes in figure drawing and painting. I went to college at Pratt Institute. I initially studied advertising, but then changed my major to painting against my parents' wishes. During the early 1970s I left Pratt and went to California. I did an apprenticeship with Fletcher Benton in San Francisco and also worked as a paste-up artist for the “Bayviewer,” an advertising magazine in Oakland. I returned to New York and began working as an apprentice scenic painter at Atlas Scenic Studios. At the same time, I was creating sets for local theater groups in Connecticut and Long Island. During summer downtimes at Atlas, I began “plein air” painting around the local area. After garnering awards and sales of paintings, I decided to focus on painting as a career. In the late 1970s, I began teaching painting classes in Milford, CT. Soon I became “artist in residence” for the school system in Milford enabled by the government program, CETA. In the early 1980s, I became the executive director of the Milford Fine Arts Council and held the position for 30 years, establishing a Center for the Arts in the historic Railway Station. As director I was involved in all aspects of the arts, but painting remained my center of attention. My position allowed me a great deal of time to focus on my own work. Currently, I live in New Haven and paint full time.
