For years, I painted to escape the rigors of veterinary practice.  I came home from work and escaped to my studio over the garage.  It seemed the more stressfuI my day had been, the more colorful and impasto the paint became.  I escaped to the beach by painting seascapes, went surfing or fishing by depicting these pastimes, and flew away by painting soaring birds.  I evolved an impressionistic style using oil paint and a palette of six colors plus white.  I studied the techniques of Emilio Gruppe and works by Winslow Homer and American impressionists.  Classes taught by Mike Rooney stimulated my first attempts  to sell.  In recent years,  I've been doing more figure and portrait work and have added some earth tones to help reflect skin tones.  I've also taken on a more classic style using more medium and glazing influenced by the work of David Leffel and classes with Jonathan Peedin and Paul McCormack.  In 2011 I sold my veterinary practice and am now painting full time.