My stylized paintings are inspired by my love of the Canadian landscape and rural life. Featuring bold, non-traditional colours, and strong, graphic use of shape and line, my goal is to encourage viewers to take a fresh look at their surroundings. I want them to look beyond the way we habitually see the world around us and experience its spirit.
Many of my paintings are based upon photos/sketches from my hiking and kayaking experiences. The landscape of the Canadian Shield, and Canada’s coastal regions, features in much of my work. Additionally, you will find works based on scenes closer to home, especially those of rural Ontario.
Each work starts with a photo, or a sketch in my field book. From there, a scale drawing is made. The challenge is to simplify shapes and still retain the essentials of the original image. Next, I redraw the image on my canvas. Colours are roughed in, and the real work begins. Adjustments are made throughout the process as the painting develops. The painting process is not a fast one. Creating crisp edges and smooth lines takes time, patience and a steady hand.
My painting palette is usually based on colour triads; any three colours that are equidistant on the colour wheel. I then adjust these colours, making them warmer or cooler as needed to create the effects that I want. At other times I work with a limited palette to create a more subdued work. Line is an important part of my composition. I use it to both delineate shapes, and to guide the viewer’s eye around the image. Stylistically, my work has been influenced by the paintings of Lawren Harris, Piet Mondrian, David Milne, and Norval Morrisseau.
I approach each work as a new adventure and an opportunity to share my love of art with others.
Edgar Degas said it best: “Art is not what you see. It is what you make others see.”