Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 25 tion to layer these more, and to make marks and meaningful brush- strokes that are more complex and abstract. Up close, my paintings look rather complicated, though from farther away they still possess strong lines and definitive, basic shapes. PLEASE WALK US THROUGH YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS FROM INSPIRATION, TO APPROACHING THE BLANK CANVAS, TO COMPLETION. My creative process begins with simple inspiration from any experience: quietly standing amongst a group of horses, listening to the song of a meadowlark, or the sight of the crescent moon on a cold winter night. So, life experiences. I try and soak them all in, and pay attention to them. I believe they all play a role in fueling what emerges in my work. I primarily work from my own photographs. There is a connection between taking a photograph and painting from it that cannot be es- tablished when using the photographs or life experiences of others. I either sketch a concept to begin a piece or if I am feeling more abstract, I will take a palette knife loaded with paint and start making marks on a panel or canvas. That can be very liberating, to not have any preconceived idea of where I'll be going before I start laying down the first knife marks. I learn a great deal by letting them dictate what each next step should, or could, be. Layers of colors, or simply textures, start to build, and I enjoy work- ing with a variety of tools in addition to palette knives and brushes. Any tool can make an interesting mark. As the painting evolves, large areas of the color fragment into prisms of their complementary colors within their shapes. This interests me. I want to be a soloist with my own voice in my work. AS FELLOW MONTANANS, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW MONTANA HAS INFLUENCED AND INSPIRED YOUR WORK. I am in love with Montana. I have lived here since the age of six, and can't imagine living anywhere else. I am in constant awe of its raw, stunning beauty and grand vistas, its rolling grassy hills, and the ani- mals that inhabit it. I want to record through my work these days and experiences I have been so blessed with, of what it is like to live and experience this extraordinary place, the "Big Sky Country" of Montana. YOUR PAINTINGS ARE REPRODUCED ON AN INTERESTING VARIETY OF MEDI- UMS. TELL US ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM, AND IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE. I enjoy exploring different mediums for my paintings, as they are all canvases with "a story." I am currently in the experimental stages with a couple of new mediums that I have wanted to explore for years. The recent events this spring that have forever changed our Petunia 22" x 24" Oil and Cold Wax on Glass The Fisherman 20" x 16" Oil on Panel To date, my favorite medium to work on is thick glass. I LOVE THE STROKES AND MARKS THAT CAN BE MADE ON THIS SURFACE, AND HOW THEY COMPLETELY CHANGE AS SOON AS LIGHT BOUNCES OFF OR PASSES THROUGH THEM.

• Cover