Though much of my work focuses on people, I can’t ignore the influence a varied California landscape has had in my paintings. Most of the vineyard paintings are intentionally not specific vineyards. They are influenced by visits to wineries throughout northern California from Saratoga and Campbell to the Livermore wine country and north to Napa, St. Helena, Yountville, Glen Ellen and Healdsburg.

When not painting on location, I work out of a rented studio at the Bothwell Center. The Bothwell has been dubbed an “incubator” for the arts. It is an affiliate of the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, (LVPAC) and the Bankhead theatre. The space is conducive to creativity. Often heard in the background are sounds of violin students playing, accompanied by instructors on violin or piano. Next to the studio area is a small theatre where musicians sometimes play and performers rehearse for upcoming plays and light opera. One of the most satisfying aspects of being a painter is coming to know others with similar pursuits.