The ocean seems to express an endless range of mood and movement in its natural dramatic shifts; its serenity evokes a sense of peace while its storminess unsettles. The changes in atmosphere and expressiveness have consistently been a source of inspiration for me. I also have become very inspired by cityscapes. The mix of humanity and architecture, earth and structure, natural and city light, has an entirely different kind of energy that is very interesting to paint. As a teenager, I won a scholarship to attend Maine's first summer arts program which was held on Mackworth Island, along with ten other young artists selected from throughout New England. While there, I was personally instructed in watercolor technique by Jamie Wyeth for several weeks. I had originally painted in oil and have just recently returned to that medium. I later won a full scholarship to attend Maine College of Art, though did not complete it due to a personal crisis. I began painting professionally 23 years ago, having painted approximately 1,200 commissioned pieces in that time. I have also completed many non-commissioned works which have been exhibited both through local galleries and national juried shows, and are now in private and corporate collections.