I am continuously inspired and awed by the beauty of nature. In particular, I find flowers and fruit to be visually striking and enticing to view and paint. However, I am drawn to painting still life not only because I find the subject matter beautiful, but also because of how I feel when I paint. As I paint, the luminous petals of flowers or the round drupelets of a raspberry become a semi-hypnotizing pattern that is very calming and soothing. The minimalistic setup adds to these effects. I wish for my paintings to convey a sense of stillness, as if time is suspended within the painting, and hope the viewer experiences the same sense of tranquility in my work. To further draw the eye in, my paintings are almost always bathed in direct sunlight. The lights and darks, contrasts and shadows, encourage the viewer to linger a bit longer, thus making the work more enticing. From a process perspective, changes often need to be made in order to perfect the design. A petal shape is adjusted here, the color of another adjusted there. As I progress along, up close an abstract pattern begins to emerge. 

It is only when I stand back that each flower or berry looks complete and whole.