I am an established Bay Area artist working in a variety of mediums on canvas, paper and prepared panels. My work is vibrant, free-spirited and spontaneous in the use of color, brush stroke and response to subject matter. It is executed with a sense of immediacy and vitality.
Whether the inspiration comes from the landscape, people or the inner mind, the work takes on its own life. No matter what the subject, it's all about color, rhythm and the intuitive response through the brush strokes and composition. I especially enjoy creating abstracts, contemporary Plein Air landscapes, figurative and still life studies. My work has been shown in a variety of venues throughout the Bay Area, including the Plein Air Exhibit at the Napa Valley Museum. I received "Best of Show" for the national exhibit “Alchemy” at the Sonoma Arts Guild Gallery, juried by Jenny Gheith, associate curator at SFMoMA. (see resume for details of exhibits and shows).
Regardless of the subject matter, I delight in responding to my subjects with creative energy and exuberance. I invite viewer to use their imagination and to come away from experience with a sense of the peace and harmony that is all around us, both in the abstract and earthly worlds we.
I was inspired to paint and draw as a young child by my mother, Lucille, a graduate of Pratt Institute. During this early period I developed my skills in pen, watercolors and pastels. Raised in northern New Jersey in the town of Tenafly, I was exposed to the galleries and arts museums in New York City throughout my formative years. My mother owned Lucinda Ltd, Fine Art Gallery for over a decade, which gave me my first exposure to the inner working of the art world. She featured high-quality contemporary NY area artists whom I had the opportunity to meet when I accompanied her to their studios. I also assisted in organizing and hanging shows in the gallery. During this time I began studying classical figurative drawing with Charlie Mazussian (BFA Pratt), which I have continued to practice throughout my career. This foundation has given me a strong ability to capture the human figure and nature alike. I delight in creating work from live models, candid portraiture of musicians in performance and listeners.
At Carnegie Mellon University, I majored in Theatrical Design under the direction of Cletus and Barbara Anderson. I received a B.F.A. and The Bess Kimberly Award for best costume designer of my class. I worked for the Santa Fe Opera, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the International Opera Barga in Italy. I then turned my attention to public art and devoted over ten years to projects from the San Francisco Arts Commission. These included several public mural works and the restoration of the 1914 Golden Gate Park Carousel. I oversaw the restoration process and personally hand-painted the 62 wooden menagerie figures, decorative panels and masks. I received numerous awards and recognitions for this effort. Following this commission, I spent two years as a resident artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Marin County, where I had the opportunity to focus on my fine art work. This included developing Plein Air techniques, figurative works and abstractions.
Since 1977, I have used my talents to create an assortment of unique commercial decorative painting applications. The mastery of Trompe l'Oeil, custom murals and decorative painting has won several national awards, including the decorative finishes for Petaluma's St. Vincent de Paul Church and the Reutlinger Mansion in San Francisco. My work ranges from historical to contemporary themes and can be viewed in both residential and commercial settings. I also specialize in decorative painting for Places of Worship of all denominations.
Throughout my commercial career, I have maintained a serious focus on my fine art work. Collectors and clients are welcome to visit my studio in Petaluma, California by appointment.
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