“My paintings are fed by marvelous sights that I unexpectedly encounter as I go about my everyday activities, either in my neighborhood or when traveling. The stuff of everyday life becomes a source for paintings. Walking down the street I discover simple moments of natural beauty, things missed driving by-in the Fall the way the wind and the rain arrange multi-colored leaves like a carpet on the ground, feathers collected from the pavement underneath telephone lines, the quiet stillness of a stroll in the woods. Inspiration is fed by return trips to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast where I grew up, reconnecting with family traditions of fishing, crabbing, and celebration of the cultural richness of the coastal Deep South. The imagery is guided by photos shot from these personal experiences.

The formal concerns explored include the layering of flat forms to build a shallow space rendered with color and light. I build a painting like a puzzle using oil paint and brushes to fill one area at a time, exaggerating contrasts and emphasizing the fluidity of paint.

Making art is a spiritual practice, a way of thinking and responding to the world. I get satisfaction from making something from nothing. My careers as an artist and teacher have been intertwined. The practical challenges of working in the studio help me share with my students and the research for teaching keeps me learning new things. Art history is always a source of inspiration.”

– Frank Herbert