| Did you ever splash
in a puddle? Why? Have you watched raindrops trickle down the
window pane? Fascinating? From ponds and lakes to the cascading
waterfalls roaring into rivers that chase to the sea, water is alluring
to the human creature.
"We build conveyances to ride upon
this silvery undulating, elusive element."
Scientifically speaking , we are composed almost entirely of water.
Could that be why we are drawn to water in all its forms? Whether
for commerce or for pleasure, water has to be conquered. We build
conveyances to ride upon this undulating, elusive element. We erect
bridges to span it, cast cables to cross it, and carve trails through the
wilderness to observe it. Water is cooling and soothing. A
swimming pool on a warm day is a delightful way to cool off, to calm down.
A large glass of cold, pure water quenches thirst like nothing else can.
Consider, too, the tinkle of ice cubes against the glass. In its
frozen form, water can be an entertainment. Try ice skating, snowshoeing,
skiing, snowmobiling and more. Picture the fleeting beauty of frost
on the window or twigs wrapped in a coat of brilliant white.
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Then there is the ocean. For hundreds
and hundreds of miles the sea rolls toward shore, seemingly in an endless
longing to be where man is. It never stops, it never rests.
It crashes its waves, small or mighty against rocks and beaches,
headlands and lowlands. It wiggles its way into bays and harbors
with a daily ebb and flow.
"Capturing its liquidity, its movement,
its depth and mystery has been my challenge"
Water reflects. It reflects sky and clouds; trees and masts.
It shimmers back to you the tallest of skyscrapers and the tiniest blade
of grass. Thus water becomes a subject to be subdued by the artist.
Capturing its liquidity, its movement, its depth and mystery has been my
challenge for a quarter of a century. One of my first paintings was
a river in Wisconsin. Then there were lakes, then waterfalls, now
the ocean. I believe I have been able to recreate on canvas and paper
all those above mentioned qualities. The colors, mood and atmosphere
surrounding the sea are merely props on the stage to enhance the role of
the mighty ocean as I paint. I will always be in awe of the sea.
I will always thrill at the quiet beauty of a mounain lake. I will
paint water; from raindrops to fathomless depth. This is the lure
of water to me.
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