Why I paint

I paint primarily to capture beauty and light based on my observations of people, places and things.  As I paint I often find myself re-living a moment in time or a feeling about the subject.

How I paint

I paint from life, from studio objects as well as from reference photographs of my own creation. The instant of taking a reference photo is the point at which I begin to exercise creative control over subject matter, point of view and composition. My photograph then serves as a guide to constructing a painting in the studio, where I have greater technical control over the physical painting process than I would outdoors. 

My paintings are representational and mostly realistic. My subjects reflect interests in specific people, places or things. In Philadelphia (where I have lived for many years), I am drawn especially to the Schuylkill River, with its many classical and graceful bridges, and to the city’s historic, quaint and authentic neighborhoods and structures. In Maine (where I have a home and studio overlooking one of the many bays of the Downeast coastline near Acadia National Park), I am constantly inspired by the ever-varying sunsets, by the rocky coastline and by the astounding views of ocean and bay.

More about me

I was born and raised in Schenectady, New York. I am a graduate of Harvard College and George Washington University Law School. I have practiced law in both Washington and Philadelphia. I discovered painting in 2012 and soon made it my full-time occupation.

Although technically "self-taught" (I did not attend art school), I studied painting intensively at Fleisher Art Memorial and Woodmere Art Museum, in Philadelphia, primarily under artists trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. I also studied portraiture at Studio Incamminati, in Philadelphia, and plein air painting in many workshops led by accomplished artists.

I am a member of the Salmagundi Club (New York), The Philadelphia Sketch Club and The Plastic Club (Philadelphia). My paintings have been shown in numerous group shows (juried and open) at those clubs and at various other Philadelphia venues, including Wayne Art Center, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, the 3rd Street Gallery, and the former Twenty-Two Gallery. I have also exhibited at Schooner Gallery (Milbridge, ME) and Deer Isle Artists Association (Deer Isle, ME).