Studio

A painting begins long before the first brushstroke

Ideas, studies, decisions, and the process of discovering what can be left out.

BETWEEN HERE AND THERE

From observation to painting

Beach with sandy shore, rocks, ocean waves, a tall palm tree, houses, and a wooden lifeguard tower under a partly cloudy sky.
Sketch of a landscape with trees, buildings, and clouds, shaded in grayscale.

THE STUDY

Finding the structure

Before color, I look for the underlying structure, the large shapes, the value relationships, and where the eye will travel. Simplifying the scene helps me decide what matters and, just as importantly, what can disappear

THE PAINTED STUDY

Testing the idea in color

Color changes the conversation. In this small study, I begin testing temperature, movement and the relationship between land, water and sky. The reference is no longer somethig to copy, it becomes a starting point.

Impressionistic painting of a seaside scene with a lighthouse on stilts, a boat, and a sandy shore.

THE PAINTING

Taking the idea further

An impressionistic landscape painting of a boat on water with sky and clouds in background.

What remains is the painting

The reference begins the conversation. The painting decides where it ends.