My Story
By the time I was 21, I'd called 12 different places “home.”
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Moving as often as I did, I developed a keen interest in the changing landscape. I've always felt as much at home outdoors as I have inside. I appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world and find the effects of light and atmosphere endlessly fascinating.
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Though I studied French and Art in college, I made a career as a TV Post-Producer for 18 busy years. I didn't get serious about painting until I exited post production and stepped out of the edit bay to take a deep breath and look around.
And what I have seen captivates me.
Maybe it was all that time in darkened video suites and dub stages, but becoming attuned to the natural environment to paint from life has been a profoundly rewarding experience. Since this change of focus, I have also worked as an Art Studio Program Manager and as an Instructor of drawing and painting for teens and adults. I love teaching and sharing my interest in plein air painting. To that end I participate in painting groups and professional associations of artists as well.
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Painting "en plein air" means working solely on site, and I hope that my paintings capture that atmospheric essence of being on the spot in the moment. These are not studio paintings. Happily for me, in Southern California it is almost always a beautiful day to get outside and paint.
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Plein Air painting group
Looking with intention when painting from life is a far different thing from the casual glance around. Our observations become more rich and nuanced with every passing moment of focussed attention. In my work as an art teacher, I became keenly aware of the joy that comes from students’ growth in skills and perception.
I love the camaraderie of painting alongside other artists, sharing perspectives, and also teaching when the opportunity arises.
If you are interested in joining a plein air painting group, or individual instruction here in the Los Angeles area, please let me know.
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- California Art Club, Associate Member
- Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains, Member
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