". . . a brush with nature"

“Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

And boy, am I enthusiastic about my art! 

Enthusiasm is a great thing and I am enthusiastic about what I do. I feel I have to be enthusiastic about that or there will be a sense of something missing. My work won’t ring true either to me or to a viewer. I need to look forward to going into my studio each day feeling motivated, as well as dedicated, to doing my best work.

I also need to feel passionate about the subject I’ve chosen. When I am passionate about it I will be eager to paint it. When that happens, there is a joy in the act of creation itself. I want to be connected with it. When I experience my own deep sense of connection with my subject I am better able to translate that relationship onto my canvas. Then, I can, hopefully, bring my subject to life with its own distinctive set of traits, unique feelings and a soulfulness within the eyes.

When I am genuinely engaged I feel joy as I work. I want others to experience that joy, too. I want them to “know” my subject . . . to be moved by it . . . perhaps, even feel an emotional tie to it. I can only hope to achieve these goals if I am emotionally connected myself. Then, my passion, my enthusiasm, will truly be felt in my art.