Who is, or has been, the biggest influence on your art?
I have been and continue to be influenced by many well know abstract expressionist artist. Twombly, Diebenkorn, De Kooning, and Pollock to name a few.
But the most influencial person was my long term friend and artist, Dan Kainess. Dan sadly passed away a few years ago but he was a great mentor and my pipeline to the art world here in Minnesota. The most talented creative person I have ever known and a wonderful guy.
Which of your works is your personal favorite and why?
Don’t think I can answer that question. I guess I feel that I am always striving to do a better painting and so to be completely satisfied in one seems a little presumptious.
Of all your travels, which city or place inspires you the most? Why?
That would have to be near the town of Barnum, Minnesota. We owned a small lake lot on Park Lake where the beauty was so amazing that it has always been an inspiration for my work. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful than nature. The water, sky, trees and of course the light. Early morning fishing on calm water as the fog rises off the water. Breathtaking every time.
What is your creative process like?
My process is one of spontaneity, and intuition. It is dynamic in it’s ever changing visuality. I seldom start with a preconceived idea. I just start putting paint on the canvas. From then on it is a series of brush strokes, scrapes, rollers, smears, layers and color combinations until I feel the work is finished.
What is something quirky or unexpected about you that most people don’t know?
Most of my life I have wanted to be able to sing or play a musical instrument. So 5 1/2 years ago I bought a trumpet and enlisted a trumpet teacher.
So now, even though I’m still a beginner, I’m able to sit in at a jazz workshop once a week. I have really enjoyed this and my friends, especially those who are aware of my athletic background, are kind of dumb founded. Don’t know if that constitutes quirky but at least a little unusual.
How has your practice changed over time?
Well, for many years I was a landscape painter. More in an impressionist style that changed over time to more expressionistic as they became more moody and I was experimenting with my palette. I liked these paintings a lot but one day about twelve years ago I decided to throw caution to the wind and dove completely into total abstract expressionism. I am so glad that I did because now I never stand in front of a clean canvas wondering what to paint.