Influences on my work range from wash drawings of the 17th century illuminists who addressed the relationship between landscape and the expression of feeling, to an array of 20th century abstract artwork. Abstract color, shape and texture are an underpinning to all my realistic paintings, as are a sense of place and time, and related emotions. The work is created from sketches and photographs of locations I visit. Like a family member or a friend; a beach, a body of water can merit having it's portrait painted.