August 22, 2014 @ 9:00 AM

I have re-written my Artist Statement for what must be the zillionth time! As artists we are supposed to have a brief statement describing our work. Sounds easy enough until you try to write one. Trying to put what your visual work is about in words is hard enough. Trying to put that into a FEW words is almost impossible!

I could write a book about what my paintings are about and still not come close to describing why, how and what my art is about. There are so many subjects to cover and so many points about each subject and they all relate to each other. Then those subjects about my art inevitably relate to my life, my personality, my life's events and more. Throw in the history of art and how my art and techniques relate to that; add in the commercial aspect of being an artist and it seems we have got far off the track of describing my art but to me it is all part of the package.

Having said that, I have again spent hours on a few short paragraphs in the attempt to tell people about my art.

I was surprised when a friend at High School said to me, “I envy you. As an artist you see beauty in everything”. Until then I had not realized that we don't all see the same thing and that my talent was not just a propensity to create but also a unique way of appreciating what I saw.

It is not just the view, scenery or objects that matter but how, as an artist I am able to perceive and interpret them. I see things that are uplifting and inspiring to me and I capture my vision in my paintings from the subjects I feel a deep connection with.

In my artwork I present a new way of seeing even a familiar scene or subject but I am also drawn to hunt for places that do not have such everyday views. Some of my work is of wilderness scenery and wildlife that I find only by getting off the beaten track and exploring nature in undeveloped places. Finding my subjects and preparing my compositions are as much a part of my creative process as applying brushstrokes.

My paintings shine a spotlight on the beauty that I see and I am always pushing myself to hone and evolve my artistic skills to create art that is fresh, original and a genuine expression of my personal view and connection with my subjects.

“A painting is a feeling seen” Carol McArdle


Here is a small painting from slighlty off the beaten track. I had to wade through some waters around some mangroves to find this view. It is of a snowy egret perched on the prop roots of the tangle of red mangroves at the water's edge. He is patiently peering into the water waiting for his next meal to swim by.

"Patience Will Pay" Oil 12" x 12"