I am a lifelong artist with a passion for materials. My work in different media ranges from plein air and studio watercolor painting to glass and metal sculpture, functional porcelain ware, digital and darkroom photo processes, interactive installation work and more. My work has been shown in museums and galleries throughout Hawaii and the United States, and is included in the permanent collection of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Plein Air

Since 2005, I have practiced a regular schedule of plein air (outdoor) landscape painting in addition to my studio work. Plein air painting challenges me by restricting my time, materials, subjects, and format. It is the best way for me to study the changing light and details of a landscape.

Plein air painting is very different than painting in the studio. En plein air, I might be sitting in the sand on a windy beach, alongside surfers, dogs, and sunbathers, creating artwork with my friends. Spending this intense, creative time on location creates a strong bond with the landscape and a wonderful memory of the day.

Process

Each of my paintings begins with a careful pencil drawing, outlining basic forms and areas of light and shadow. My watercolor technique involves many layered washes of color, beginning with the lightest values and overlapping repeatedly to create darks. I use a simple palette of 7 colors: two yellows, two blues, red, green, and brown. The white of the paper becomes my lightest value, and I always mix my own shades of black.

I use only the highest quality professional-grade materials, including heavy-weight Arches watercolor paper and Winsor & Newton lightfast watercolor paints, to ensure the permanence of every painting.