'Winter Woods' - Discussing an important painting in my oeuvre

‎'WINTER WOODS' • 2008

This was a pivotal painting in my career in that it's immediate success both with critics and patrons convinced me that the genre of landscapes might be worth exploring. As I soon discovered, my particular style lent itself very well towards paintings of nature and the works that followed have been the most successful of my career in terms of sales, gallery representation and overall satisfaction from me and viewers. 

After hiking in the beautiful Linville Gorge area of Western North Carolina and taking photos, I was particularly taken by a picture that I took of the evening sun filtering through a cluster of trees, creating amazing shadows. I first envisioned a black and white painting and initially approached it that way, but I quickly realized that it needed a counter balance of warm colors to capture the feel of warm sunlight on a cold environment. I moved the image away from the real scene by altering the shadows, giving them a harder edge and arcing them out towards the forefront of the viewer to draw them in. I felt good about this painting from the moment it was completed... a rarity for me.

In truth, I've never had much interest in landscapes, either painting them or viewing. I do, however, have a real love for nature - especially mountains and woods, as I am an avid hiker, and in particular the Mountain areas of Western NC. My passion for these places allowed me a way into painting landscapes and I quickly discovered that really I enjoy painting them - getting lost in the details and learning to manipulate light and shadows. They are a challenge to me as an Artist and I appreciate that aspect. I consider myself to be more of a spiritual than religious person and to me, these paintings are a true collaboration between myself and God.