My paintings begin with a walk in the woods and meadows surrounding my home. I collect whatever catches my eye-a scrap of bright green moss, tiny mushrooms, a perfectly formed wildflower-and take them back to the studio. There I pull out field guides, identify the specimens and get to work; first doing pencil sketches, next using a fine waterproof maker to outline the drawing, and finally adding color with watercolor paints. I prefer to work from fresh plants rather than photographs, so I only harvest what I can paint in a day. This also reinforces my commitment to work with whatever is seasonally available. Over the last winter I developed a new found appreciation for the dormant forest. Though on the surface it looks bleak, there is actually much color and many interesting things to be found! After the painting is complete, I produce prints and greeting cards. The original paintings are framed or used as elements in shadowbox assemblages.
I use Arches 140 lb. Cold Press Watercolor Blocks, Rembrandt 24 pan watercolor paints, and Micron pens.