Art is a way to share and communicate.  My first inspirations for painting came from a family farm in western North Carolina.  The beautiful scenery there makes me want to share the sense of wonder and peace it gives me.  Over time I have expanded my efforts to include some paintings that tell stories.  They are frequently about a humorous event or moment, and I want to share the joke.  The titles of the works are often a critical part of the art.  Pets are one of my favorite subjects because most pet owners, including me, love to share stories about their dogs and cats.
      I have lived in North Carolina for most of my adult life, and in Durham for more than 20 years.  I was a biochemist and started painting while staying at home with small children, picking up on an undeveloped interest that I had wanted to pursue.  My favorite art includes the highly detailed realism of some of the old masters and the illustrations of Norman Rockwell.  In keeping with that taste, my own work is representational in style, if not always realistic in content.  I usually start a painting with a fairly clear idea of the final image in mind,  then I work with photos and sketches to develop the painting, occasionally changing the content as an inspiration hits me.  I have worked almost exclusively in acrylics in a studio space at home (with the pets nearby.)  My goal is to communicate a story or a feeling, and a successful painting will suffuse the viewer with the same sense of wonder, serenity, humor or insight that inspired the work.