From my grandmother, I inherited artistic abilities. From my father, came my desire to see and do as many things as possible within a lifetime. These two dominant traits together drove me to not only pick up art as more than a hobby, but to also learn, or at least try as many Mediums and Techniques as I can, seeking out the benefits of each. In essence, I have set out to “Conquer” as big a variety of art forms as possible! Even if I don’t intend to stick with a medium, my quest for knowledge gives me the desire to at least learn how it works, adding to my arsenal of tools and techniques for later reference! At this point in my life, my résumé includes: Oils – Sand Sculpture – Pen & Ink – Pencil – Colored Pencil – Lampworking (Hot Torch Glass Sculpting) – Woodworking!
Over the past 30 years of my art career, I have found an immense love for Oil Painting, as it seems to be the most relaxing, mentally, and therefore I have made it my go-to medium. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I feel most “at home” in the forested mountains and ranches, so these are the landscapes that I enjoy painting most. But, having had a 40-year career with the US Military, retiring from Active Duty Air Force in 1998, and then continuing my career as a civilian with the Air Force and Army to the present, I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel world-wide, experiencing a very wide variety of our Creator’s landscapes and seascapes! I’ve tried my hand at many of these sceneries in an attempt to capture not only my own experiences, but those of the many others who have consigned my works.
But, again, that wandering-lust is strong, and so I have been compelled to push past Landscapes and try everything from Seascapes, Space-scapes, Florals, Still Life, Animals, Portraits, and Mermaids.
In the mid-1990’s I was fortunate to find my next major conquest, Semi-Relief Sand Sculpting! From a Navajo co-worker, I learned about the traditional Native American art-form, and from what she taught me, I embarked upon a journey to create something not only artistically unique, but something with powerful meaning and depth (literally and figuratively). This is why I do not use any molds or other materials besides glue and the sand itself to build up my sculptures – that would take away from the honest depth of the hundreds of layers of sand! Having lived with a large Native American population out West, and growing up with Ranch-life, I feel a deep connection to the Western and Native themes. Many of my Sand Sculptures are created with a Native American theme, turning the attention of the piece to the peoples who not only founded this art-form, but founded this great nation that I am also proud to call home. I am excited by the challenge of building and sculpting the sand, and the attempt to create free-standing portions of scenes is very empowering.
In every piece of art I create, regardless of medium, I try to connect each piece with the historic and traditional values of the people, places, animals, or items I am painting, building, or sculpting. I try to match the piece to the emotions and memories of the consignee. And in doing all this, I am in hopes of taking on new challenges, opening the door further in my Artistic Conquests!
