I am a landscape artist who works mostly in the medium of pastel. This rich pigment medium allows me to create paintings that have brilliance and the bold color we see in the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Pastels let me present this world with rich color and texture. Basically self-taught, I experimented with a variety of media over time. I came to realize that my best represetnation of the statement I wanted to make was with pastels. They allow me to bring depth and texture, light and mood into the painting; to experience the time of day, the temperature, the sound, the smells.

Another medium that I work in is paper collage. Combining a variety of papers, inks, art stamps and "found material," I create collages that tell a story to the viewer. This art form is something that makes me think outside of my usual, landscape-driven creativity.

My work tends to represent things that are of interest and importance to me and that I think would tell a story to a viewer and make them want to pursue something more about the subject or just entertain them. The collages often incorporate gourds or parts of gourds that have been carved and painted. The surface of the form for the collage may not be a flat canvas, but some three-dimensional object.

The landscape work is representational of the Inland Northwest. My goal is to create work that invites the viewer to "step into" the painting and experience the scene--walk along the road, hike a trail, sit by the river, watch a storm manifest on the horizon--just escape for a moment in time. If that works for you, I have been successful in my quest.