Large Landscapes

Over the last 15 years I have become interested in direct representation of the real landscape. Dutchess & Columbia Counties, on the east bank of the Hudson River, New York, have an abundance of farmed land & decaying farm buildings. Area farmers alternate crops in twenty rows of corn and then 20 rows of either alfalfa, sorghum, or soybeans up the hill. This pattern makes abstract horizontal blocks of color and texture repeated over and over again which I find very interesting.

I use oil paints on canvas to record the landscape. One of my favorite times of year to paint outside, plein air, is late May - June. Spring planting leaves the hillsides partly earth colored, before the corn comes up and partly green from quick growing sorghum, soybeans, or alfalfa. This contrast is very interesting to me and I always take photographs of what I am painting at this time because of the quick changes that take place with the appearance of the green corn. Because of the changes in the earth I need to record by photograph the planting stage so if need be, I can finish the work in my studio. I continue painting outside through October, when it gets cold.

View work samples »