I have always thought of painting as a form of prayer-not in a religious sense, but in the process itself: finding a quiet place to work, carving out the time needed, going deeper into my own awareness of what it means to be living.  Why am I intrigued enough to paint one object or view or person, and not another?  It's always more than just capturing a moment, or a likeness.  There is something deeply relational about the painter, the object and the painting that keeps me working.  I think, ultimately, I am painting my life-what it means to me, to be alive at this particular time.  I hope I convey a deep sense of gratitude. 

I work  in both water color and oil.  There is a "dryness" about watercolor that I like very much-that is, after applying washes and letting them dry, I can go back and work over an area with drybrush, and the result will be a more finished look.  I us lots of pigment, thereby "pushing" the medium into value areas that are not traditionally associated with watercolor. 

Oil, on the other hand, is luscious and tends to be an opposite process from watercolor-not at all "dry", but vibrant and workable for long periods of time-something that lends itself to being toiled over, for me.  It is also more forgiving, in that one can let an application dry, and then repaint, with a fresh, new idea. 

As a self-taught painter, I am always learning, always investigating ways to move forward.  Art, in general, is a language, and as such, we who communicate through this language are always learning new ways of "saying" what we need to say.  But, of course, we need "listeners"-those who appreciate and take the time to look closely and search out meaning and intent.  To those kind souls, I am eternally grateful.