Painting with oils and pastels allows me to put down on a painting surface wonderfully brilliant color, and contrasting values. Using broad strokes with smaller textured lines gives my work a tension and a lively quality that one finds in nature. Painting plein air allows me to interpret nature as a glowing complex scene of shapes and colors intermingled. Having to paint quickly outdoors gives my paintings a lively feeling of expression. Excitement is transmitted from the eye to the hand to the painting. When one views my images, I hope they can feel the emotion and excitement that emanates from the flat surface of the painting making it an interesting and believable three dimensional work of art.