About the Artist

I have been painting professionally for many years after graduating from the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Growing up on a farm near London, Ontario, I have a great love of the outdoors, being surrounded by farm animals, pasture and woodlands, gave me a deep connection to land and sky. My  first greatest influence was Andrew Wyeth. His landscapes were so much like home to me, I saw his paintings everywhere I looked.

Although I wanted to study architecture, my natural skills at drawing at an early age coupled with a lack of interest in math, made it fairly apparent Art School was where I belonged. In hindsight, Illustration was my forte, and I wish I had chosen that path. However, having a great love of drawing,  I chose Painting and Drawing and hence began the struggle to be a realist in a world besotted by the Abstract.

For a realist painter, going against the grain to study realism in school, where everything was supposed to be stripes, dots, hard-edged shapes, etc., the Impressionists became who I wanted to emulate, because at least they were more modern realists!

And simply because of the joy and happiness their paintings evoked. Theirs was a real Celebration of Life, portraying all levels of Society. Perhaps that is why their paintings speak to so many people and during those school years, that is how I wanted to paint.

Having lived in several towns and cities, Montreal suits my spirit. Presently, I live in Rigaud, Quebec, a small village picturesquely situated on the banks of the Ottawa River, just 25 miles from Montreal. An area of much beauty and character, still surrounded by small farms and villages.

Many subjects continue to capture my interest and  painting outdoors whenever possible.  In fact, I didn't have a studio for a long time, but carried a board, paper and watercolours to locations.  In the last few years, I have focused on more figurative and portrait work, often with particular attention to First Nation peoples at their Pow Wows.  Their costuming and dances are extremely beautiful. I have sincere concern for the welfare of these unique people.  Humanity does present endless possibilities for subject matter in every respect.

Thank you for reading and I do hope you enjoy my paintings.