My artistic journey began in the seventh grade, when my teacher challenged me to copy a painting done by a known master artist of the past. I chose to replicate a still life done by Post-Impressionist Paul Cezanne. Although I had no prior experience with painting, I nailed it. When the teacher encouraged my parents to nurture my innate artistic ability, my mother promptly bought me a set of oil paints and an easel. Personally, I knew painting was to be my true path in life, so in high school and college, I continued to seek out oil painting classes and mentors. I have studied with such modern masters as Paul Gianfagna, Peter Homitsky, Leonid Gervits and Dan Thompson, to name a few. To this day, I still attend painting workshops and classes, constantly working to improve my skills and further evolve my artistic expertise.
Early in my career, I sought out jobs that would enhance my artistic nature. I worked as a freelance graphic designer and then, as an art sales consultant for a New York City art gallery. I had in mind becoming the owner of my own business but, like many young artists, I felt that I could not make a living as a full-time artist. With that false data in mind, my husband and I purchased a business that was as far removed from anything art-related that one could go. Although "successful", I continued to paint and dream. Throughout the years, I have won multiple awards, including the prestigious "Red Dot" award from the Art Students League in New York City. My art is in multiple private collections throughout the United States.
Today, I've come full circle so to speak. For the past few years, I have concentrated on producing a few hundred original oil paintings. My work has been exhibited in several solo and group exhibitions and I'm creating a fun and exciting art business. My current work concentrates on still life and floral paintings done in a somewhat "old masters" style but with a modern twist. The work tends to be more representational than realistic, using loose brushstrokes, bold colors, and strong light and dark contrasts. The technique is painterly and expressive and tends to leave out unnecessary details and minutia. I have been called "the master of simplicity" by my peers for that reason and also because I tend to paint rapidly and with confidence.
Statement
I've been painting and creating art for over 50 years. It defines who I am.
My art is about communicating the simplicity and beauty of Life. A piece of fruit, and old piece of pottery, a flower that's past its prime, are all, to me, inherently beautiful. It's my mission to bring the reality of that beauty to others in a meaningful and abundantly aesthetic way. My influences or my muse, if you will, are Cezanne, Pissarro and Manet (both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism).
Further, my art is real and relatable. It's not difficult to understand. There are no hidden meanings or symbolism connected to the work. It is true Life as we know it, tangible and tactile. The Life depicted in my paintings is made more beautiful and aesthetic than the simple reality of its existence. Therefore, the mission is to make the ordinary extraordinary.
I've been trained in multiple mediums and movements, including the techniques of the Old Masters. I choose to integrate the style of the Old Masters with a more modern, representational twist. I paint quickly and loosely - without too much detail. My color palette has bold, rich colors. I use strong light and dark contrasts with intense highlights. The result is that the elements of the paintings seem to "pop" off the canvas, as if you can reach out and pick them up from the surface.