Statement
This era of my artistic life began in a rundown motel room during September of 1999. I was in Santa Fe, New Mexico to take my first strokes in oils, during a five-day intensive course; each evening as I reviewed my day and my notes, this new medium offered enticing and entrancing glimpses. As a result, now, each day in my studio, I explore the shapes and colours of oils. Painting has been a natural evolution from 20 years of watercolour and drawing.
Oils translate the roundness and depth, as in globular pear bellies, tall crystalline glass, and shiny brass pots of the life-sized, still life images I create. It’s impossible to predict what the paint will suggest, or even be sure of where a piece is headed. Sometimes lucky accidents occur. It’s fascinating and fun to explore the worlds of this ancient medium.
Although many pieces don’t work out, painting is still interesting and engrossing. Walter Anderson’s quote on painting still life (and for me it applies to landscape also) captures my reason d’etre:
‘Painting still life is one way to pay the debt we owe to the earth. All the beauty, all the form, and our own inadequacy in expressing our gratitude is slightly satisfied by increasing our consciousness of the beauty of fruit, vegetables, the voluptuous return, the gift of an austere mother to her children.’
I find the earth exceptionally beautiful and do feel gratitude for it.
Like many contemporary representational painters, I paint shape first and foremost; colour communicates these shapes. Beyond basic shape and colour, my focus is on painting for roundness and light, and I willingly sacrifice details to this end. I want it round and I want it lit up. I’m currently exploring brush stroke, questioning how might I use the texture of the paint to portray the image I want.
When I paint, I’m present in the moment, encountering and exercising my creativity. I hope I convey what I feel: the intrigue of the oil paint, a temporary suspension of daily concerns, and a practiced patience.

CV
Selected Exhibitions
2006 – University of Georgia, Watkinsville, GA - invitational
2006 – Art on Main, Alliston, ON - invitational
2006 – The New Tecumseth Library, Alliston, ON - solo
2006 – The Millpond Gallery, Alliston, ON - juried
2005 – The OCAF Cultural Arts Foundation Center, Watkinsville, GA - invitational
2005 – The Museum of Arad, Arad, Romania - invitational
2005 – Millpond Gallery, Alliston, ON - juried
2004 – The Museum of Arad, Arad, Romania - invitational
2004 – The Travelling Weave Inaugural, Porto Recanati, Italy - invitational
2003 – Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea, Florence, Italy - invitational
2003 – Taos Invites Taos, NM – invitational
2003 – The Apple Tree, Taos, NM - solo
2002 – Taos Invites Taos, Taos, NM – invitational
2001 – The Apple Tree, Taos NM – solo
1999 – Parks Gallery Internet Fine Art Auction, Taos, NM – juried
1999 – Taos Open, Taos, NM – group
1999 – Silverhawk Annual Fine Art Auction, Taos, NM - juried
1998 – Drawings and Carvings, Taos, NM – duet
1997 – The Best of Taos, Taos, NM – juried
1996 – Maximum Drawings, Santa Fe, NM – juried
1995 – McMichael Annual Exhibition, Kleinburg, ON – juried
1995 – TAA Drawing Exhibition, Taos, NM – juried
1994 – Bareiss Gallery Exhibition, El Prado, NM – group
1994 – Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery Exhibition, Kitchener, ON – group
1993 – Taos Open, Taos, NM – group
1992 – Peel Regional Art Gallery Autumn Exhibition, London, ON – juried
1991 – Crosshill Schoolhouse Painting Exhibition, Millbank, ON – duet
1990 – Wellington County Museum Exhibition, Fergus, ON – juried
1988 – Elmira Library Spring Exhibition, Elmira, ON – juried
1976 – University of Waterloo Art Exhibition, Waterloo, ON – juried

Education
2006 – Qualifications in Visual Art, University of Western Ontario, London, ON
2000 – Pleine Aire Painting with Ron Rencher, Rencher Studios, Taos, NM
1998 – Oil Painting with Laura Robb, Valdez School of Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
1992 – Drawing with Gustav Rehberger, The Art Students League, New York, NY
1976 – Bachelor of Arts, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Gallery
Gallery-on-the-Grand, Waterloo, ON
Glen Willow Gallery, Alliston, ON
The Old Pink Schoolhouse, Tres Piedras, NM

Residency
Bee-Bar Ranch, Tres Piedras, NM 1998 - 2003

Bibliography
Southern Distinction 06/06
Lake Oconee Living 06/04
The Alliston Herald 06/01/18
The Caledon Citizen 06/01/18
Athens Herald-Banner 05/09
Corriere Adriatico 04/09
Wide Open Spaces 00/10
Rocks Talk 98/03
THE Magazine 96/09
The Unplugged Quarterly 95/07
The Taos News 93/10/07

Commissions
Corporate: GA Paper, Markham, ON
Dr. L. Whyte-Ferguson, Taos, NM
Personal: B. Nelson, OR

Selected Collections
E. Allgood, Denmark
B. Barbour-Soules, San Francisco, CA
R. Bingham, Wales
S. Bryant, Brookfield, NH
A. Burnett, Mars Hill, NC
J. Haas, Saltspring Island, BC
L. Lightner, Garden City, KS
M. & J. Lombard, Torrance, CA
K. Nelson, Tres Piedras, NM
R. & S. Roth, Crosshill, ON
P. Sherman, Hoover, TX
L. Smith, Brownwood, TX
M. Urdahl, New York, NY

Contributions To The Field
Art in the Park, Earle Rowe Provincial Park, Initiator, Alliston, ON
The Arts in Teaching the Individual and Society, Mentorship, UofW, London, ON

Associations
Member, Arts and Letters Club, Toronto, ON
Member, CARFAC, Toronto, ON
Member, The Travelling Weave, Seven International Locations
Member, International Artistic Committee, Biennale Arad 2005, Arad, Romania
Honourary Member, Terra Dell’Arte Cultural Association, Tolentino, Italy