This page will be my opportunity to present a selection of work grouped by subject, theme, location, or any other connections that present themselves as I review over forty years of painting.

Trees

When I finally moved to Maine in 1996, it was definitely not in order to paint trees. I found them very confusing. But I’ve discovered that when I make up my mind not to paint a certain thing, inevitably I soon find myself painting it anyway. And it is difficult not to come to terms with trees if one is going to paint landscapes in Maine. Luckily there are many excellent examples of great tree painters – Burchfield, Porter, Marin, Dodd, and Thomson, among many others – that can give one many clues about how to get a handle on their visual complexities. Eventually I was happier painting trees than almost anything else.

 

In the forest, II
1994
Oil on linen
48 x 64 inches

 

Rocks, shadows, trees
1994
Oil on prepared paper
20 x 24 inches

 

Light through the woods
1998
Oil on linen
44 x 54 inches

 

Early autumn, Mackworth Island
2003
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
14 1/2 x 18 inches

 

Wood and wall
2002
Oil on prepared paper
20 1/2 x 24 inches

 

Trees, Gilsland Farm
2004
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
20 x 24 inches

 

White pine
2005
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
18 x 14 inches

 

Private collection

Peonies and trees
2008
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
14 x 18 inches

 

Trees and sky
2008
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
14 x 18 inches

 

Midday, Cathedral Woods
2009
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
14 x 18 inches

 

Light on trees
2009
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
18 x 14 inches

 

Trees, Stones Point
2009
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
18 x 14 inches

 

Twisted trees, Monhegan
2009
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
11 x 14 inches

 

I've painted this spot many times. The light from above is amazing around noon.

Windy day, Great Spruce Head Island
2010
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
18 x 14 inches

 

What a privilege to stay in the summer home of Fairfield Porter for a week of painting. After studying his tree paintings closely, I was able to see a tree or group of trees as a midtone shape to which one added darks and highlights - a very useful way to break down the complexity. Perhaps he painted this group of trees too.

Windy day
2011
Oil on linen
46 x 40 inches

 

Audubon trees, autumn
2010
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
18 x 14 inches

 

Fore River Sanctuary
2013
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
14 x 18 inches

 

Spring at Audubon
2014
Oil on prepared paper, mounted on panel
20 x 16 inches