Artist's Statement
Nature in the broadest sense is the great inspiration for all art. The mission of the artist to discover, experience and interpret nature and continually learn how to see and improve.
I work on an intuitive level in selection of subject matter, but I work as a scientist to understand composition, light, shadow and reflection. Sometimes an image is iconic in its representation of an idea. Sometimes an image just hits me and I have the inspiration to draw or paint it. The juxtaposition of opposites – organic vs geometric, light vs dark, urban vs rural communicates something fundamental about the mind and the universe.
The brush is the artist's most expressive tool. Yet I am not averse to utilizing technology where certain strengths of the computer can overcome difficult-to-achieve effects on the canvas. For example the ease with which one can control overlaying of transparent layers of one colour over another, or creating geometric objects for certain abstract concepts is far easier using on electronic media.
I paint mostly with oil on canvas but also have used painted watercolour extensively. I pride myself on painting a variety of subjects such as landscapes, cityscapes, reflections off water, figures, florals, and even some abstract work. I hope to allow each painting to be fresh, creative and unique.
What Inspires me
I am hugely inspired by the Canadian landscape, city and country. Canada has huge variety in colour and form. The cool blues, interplay of teal, cobalt, ultramarine in the shadows of snow, The slate grey skies in winter, the sunny skies of summer, the bright east coast shores, the monumental rocky mountains of the west, the shapes, shadows and reflections of urban settings, and on and on. I, like many of Canadian artists, have a deep sense the visual impact our country has on us.
Going to the National Gallery in Ottawa, one sees that the land, above all, has the deepest impression on our art and culture. Having traveled to many countries and visited the great galleries of Europe, I believe Canadian art is second to none. It is great to be a part of it in whatever way!
Painting, above all other activities, brings tranquility and connection to the world, and sometimes beyond it. The purity of light reminds us of the light of creation. One enters a dimension of possibilities through the act of painting, and, of course, through viewing it!
Nature in the broadest sense is the great inspiration for all art. The mission of the artist to discover, experience and interpret nature and continually learn how to see and improve.
I work on an intuitive level in selection of subject matter, but I work as a scientist to understand composition, light, shadow and reflection. Sometimes an image is iconic in its representation of an idea. Sometimes an image just hits me and I have the inspiration to draw or paint it. The juxtaposition of opposites – organic vs geometric, light vs dark, urban vs rural communicates something fundamental about the mind and the universe.
The brush is the artist's most expressive tool. Yet I am not averse to utilizing technology where certain strengths of the computer can overcome difficult-to-achieve effects on the canvas. For example the ease with which one can control overlaying of transparent layers of one colour over another, or creating geometric objects for certain abstract concepts is far easier using on electronic media.
I paint mostly with oil on canvas but also have used painted watercolour extensively. I pride myself on painting a variety of subjects such as landscapes, cityscapes, reflections off water, figures, florals, and even some abstract work. I hope to allow each painting to be fresh, creative and unique.
What Inspires me
I am hugely inspired by the Canadian landscape, city and country. Canada has huge variety in colour and form. The cool blues, interplay of teal, cobalt, ultramarine in the shadows of snow, The slate grey skies in winter, the sunny skies of summer, the bright east coast shores, the monumental rocky mountains of the west, the shapes, shadows and reflections of urban settings, and on and on. I, like many of Canadian artists, have a deep sense the visual impact our country has on us.
Going to the National Gallery in Ottawa, one sees that the land, above all, has the deepest impression on our art and culture. Having traveled to many countries and visited the great galleries of Europe, I believe Canadian art is second to none. It is great to be a part of it in whatever way!
Painting, above all other activities, brings tranquility and connection to the world, and sometimes beyond it. The purity of light reminds us of the light of creation. One enters a dimension of possibilities through the act of painting, and, of course, through viewing it!
Bio
My high school did not have art classes. Yet I drew and painted after I got my homework done. My family and background streamed me into a professional career. Yet I always loved art, painting in particular. I loved all kinds of painting, watercolour, oil, acrylic; landscape, portrait, abstract.
What kind should I do? I did all kinds! I went to OCA in 1971. It happened to be a year of upheaval and chaos there where they were all into conceptual art and after the 60's "everything goes". There were only a few classes where one was encouraged to develop primary skills.
I didn't have a clear direction then but I decided I did not like much most conceptual art, so the only way to satisfy my natural curiosity and wonder about the world was to quit art college and go to University. I went to Queen's in Kingston where I studied sciences mostly. I had great marks and eventually got into Computer Science which started my career in that area. It was good to me, but all the while I loved art and painting, which I did continuously.
My life took me to Sweden where I lived for 10 years. I learned Swedish and lived as both as a Swede and, with my foreign accent, in many ways, as an immigrant. While there I joined the local artist association and I became the chairman. I became an art teacher in the evenings. I had exhibitions around the Stockholm area, particularly in Kungsängen where our family, my wife and 2 daughters, lived.
After returning to Canada, I hadn't had time to paint as much for a while, but I did get back into it. I decided to specialize more. I paint mostly in oil, but I "borrow" techniques from watercolour (lots of medium!). It can give a luminous quality.
What kind should I do? I did all kinds! I went to OCA in 1971. It happened to be a year of upheaval and chaos there where they were all into conceptual art and after the 60's "everything goes". There were only a few classes where one was encouraged to develop primary skills.
I didn't have a clear direction then but I decided I did not like much most conceptual art, so the only way to satisfy my natural curiosity and wonder about the world was to quit art college and go to University. I went to Queen's in Kingston where I studied sciences mostly. I had great marks and eventually got into Computer Science which started my career in that area. It was good to me, but all the while I loved art and painting, which I did continuously.
My life took me to Sweden where I lived for 10 years. I learned Swedish and lived as both as a Swede and, with my foreign accent, in many ways, as an immigrant. While there I joined the local artist association and I became the chairman. I became an art teacher in the evenings. I had exhibitions around the Stockholm area, particularly in Kungsängen where our family, my wife and 2 daughters, lived.
After returning to Canada, I hadn't had time to paint as much for a while, but I did get back into it. I decided to specialize more. I paint mostly in oil, but I "borrow" techniques from watercolour (lots of medium!). It can give a luminous quality.
