“As we move further and further into the ease and immediacy of the digital age, I continue to reflect on why I am drawn to the subjects I choose to paint. After much inward searching, I have come to realize that I am continually drawn, almost subconsciously, to subject matter that is not obvious. I am inspired by subjects that need time to develop, both in my mind as well as on my canvas.

“Though my paintings may be representational, I think of them in nearly total abstract terms of value, shape, composition, color, edge and design.

“In my painting Against the Violet Hills, I was attracted first by the sharp, brilliant light striking the barn. After some time observing the scene, as I sketched the structures, I noticed the warm yellow hue of the fields was an almost perfect compliment to the violet grey of the timbered hills.

“In this painting I have tried to capture the subtle, varied nuances of the distant backlit trees with hopes of creating an abstract curtain, helping to set the stage for the starkly lit barn and warm, dormant fields.”