As a plein air painter, I paint on location. I look for light and dark patterns while I think about what makes this place unique. Often I find a portion of the scene that tells the bigger story. By parceling it down, I also can make a more compelling composition which is always my first priority. A close second, is a strong sense of light.

As a painter of the land, I’m also aware that change is inevitable whether seasonal, caused by a warming climate, urban development or deterioration over time. We are always at a moment in time when we can tell the story of what “this” moment is! But beyond that: I love being outside and painting has heightened my observation of the world around me.

My formal training in painting began with my B.A. in art, emphasis on oil painting at DePauw University and continues to this day as I learn from my painting partners and attend workshops to continue to grow. My work is available from Gallery 24 in Los Gatos, CA and Colibri Art Gallery in Morgan Hill, CA and Piper J. Gallery in Truckee.

Awards and Honors

• Featured in “11 Artists to Collect Now: Emerging Plein Air Painters You Need to Know” October/November 2020 issue of Plein Air Magazine

• 2023 “Artist of the Year” Los Gatos Art Association First Place for “Pillar Point”, voted by members

• 2023 Honorable Mention for “Joe’s Tacos” in Greater Bay Area Art Open at the New Museum of Los Gatos

• 2023 “Jack Richeson Award” for “Sunset at Balena Bay” awarded by Ellen Howard in Frank Bette Plein Air Paint Out

• 2022 “Third place” awarded by Kimball Geisler in Lost Sierra Plein Air

• 2022 Fifth Place for “Songs of the Sea” Awarded by Paul Kratter at the Humboldt Plein Air Paint Out

• 2019 Honorable Mention in the state-wide Triton Museum 2D Art Competition, 2019 2nd Place Los Gatos Art Association Fall Member’s Show

• 2018 “Best of Show” and 2017 "Frank Bette Award" in the Frank Bette Plein Air Paint Out, Alameda, CA (Juried) for “Transitional Center” and “New Rich’s”

• 2018 “Best of Show” Los Gatos Art Association Members Juried Show for “Sunset on the Inner Harbor”

• 2017 and 2016 "Best of Show" North Tahoe Arts Plein Air Open for “Racked Up” and “West Shore Sports”

• 2017 "Grand Jury Winner" Plein Air Competition for Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation

• 2017 and 2016 "Honorable Mention" Capitola Plein Air (Juried)

• 2016 "First Place" Los Gatos Art Association Member's show

  Activities

• Artist Member of California Art Club, Allied Artists West and Los Gatos Art Association

• Juried into Carmel Plein Air Festival (2018, 2019, 2020*, 2022, 2023, 2024), Los Gatos Plein Air 2019, Bird Dog Arts Plein Air (Kern County) 2023, 2024, Morgan Hill Plein Air 2021, 2022, 2024, Capitola Plein Air (2017, 2018 2019), Alameda’s Frank Bette Plein Air (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 )

• Juried into California Art Club Shows including: Sierra to the Sea (2019), “Our World Reimagined” (2020) and “Welcome to California (2020-2021)

• Accepted into Greater Bay Area Open 2019, 2022, 2023 at the New Museum in Los Gatos

• Invited to paint alongside master painters in Brittany France, July, 2019

• Began teaching a Plein air In Oils class in 2018 in Lake Tahoe and 2023 in San Jose

• Speaker at local artist clubs

Photo credit Jenny Sheldon, Capitola Plein Air Festival