“The more often we see the beautiful and wonderful things around us, the more they become invisible to us.”

The more often we see the beautiful and wonderful things around us, the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world and the nature in it, such as the flowers. Because we see these things so often, we see them less and less. Often we do not have the time to stop and really view the details and magnificence of the flowers. Through the study and admiration of artist’s work such as those of Edward Weston and Georgia O’Keeffe, I have been influenced to pay close attention to forms and the composition in which natural forms are arranged.

I look at plant life on a daily basis.  With interest in the design found in nature, I explore the architecture of plant detail from simple parts of the flower such as petals to complex inner flower anatomy. When I am painting, I like to keep flowers nearby. I will pick up the flower and feel it occasionally, taking a quick break from my panting to appreciate the subject. As I hold the flower, I pay close attention to the way it feels and allow those textures to impact the way I hold my brush and create similar textures from brush strokes within the painting.

My paintings highlight and magnify the details and textures of flowers that we interact so closely with every day, but often do not have the time to appreciate. I find it important to display things commonly overlooked in a way that exposes the viewer to the remarkable textures and contours found in flowers. By bringing plant species into a studio setting usually reserved for portraits, their importance and significance becomes elevated. My paintings are an attempt to bring this beauty and detail of nature to the viewer. Although based upon flower details, a viewer may feel confused or evoked by the painting, perhaps not knowing exactly what they are looking at first. I sometimes find with quick glimpses of my paintings that I do not always see a flower. My hope for the work is that the viewer will determine for themselves what the subject matter is, whether it is simply organic or a more complex erotic form while appreciating attention to detail and natural contours.