About Me

I have always drawn inspiration and hope from the natural world. Born and raised in Nashville, I grew up while hiking, backpacking, and canoeing through Tennessee and beyond. The wilderness was a sort of church that gave me purpose and kept my family together. Later, I found a sense of belonging in meaningful communities that were founded on respect—for ourselves, for the environment, and for each other. Whenever I feel lost, I return to the company of grasses or a mountain stream.

When painting landscapes, I chase the light. I want to give life to fleeting moments such as sunset in the woods or an approaching storm. I try to convey a sense of place through movement or even sound: wind through a forest of spruce trees; rapids flowing into a pool of water; thunder over a quiet field. I welcome familiarity and mystery, detail and impression, the seen and the unseen.

For my studio pieces, I refer to my own drawings, plein air studies, and photography. Every scene I paint is a trail I've walked, a river I've canoed, and so on. Oils are my primary medium, but I also often use watercolor and pastels.

I studied art at Grinnell College (IA), the University of Arkansas, and the University of North Carolina. I also trained at the Fine Arts League of the Carolinas (Asheville, NC), and at Penland School of Crafts (NC).

I have been a traveler, a wilderness course instructor, a teacher, a poet, and a musician. My current place of work is Bennett Galleries, where I am a professional framer; I'm also a member of the Nashville Chestnut Group of plein air painters.