I moved to New Bedford from Ohio when I was 14. I fell in love with Buzzards Bay, Horseneck Beach, the New Bedford harbor and beaches, and the surrounding area of farms and woodlands. I have never gotten over my enjoyment of crossing the Fairhaven Bridge and seeing the boats in the harbor. My love for this area is, in part, responsible for me taking up painting.
There are so many places in this area that inspire me. All I have to do is go for a walk or a drive with my sketchbook and camera, and something almost always catches my eye. I take note of the weather, time of year, smells, light, and shadows and try to articulate what is about a certain scene that attracts me. I try to get that feeling onto the canvas.
I love the nooks and crannies of the architecture in this area and all of New England. The light here is unique. The roads and streets contain wonderful surprises. The seasons are very different, so there is a lot of change going on, even though this is the oldest part of our country.
I love it when people see a scene they recognize and very often express the same feelings for these places that moved me to paint them in the first place. My local scenes have been a large part of my sales and a huge part of my commission work. People in this area have grown to trust me to capture what they want in a commissioned painting of a local scene.
There are an infinite number of beautiful places to paint in this area, but I tend to really enjoy painting the farmland and beaches by the sea. There is something about coastal landscapes that speaks to me.