about me
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
I was born in San Francisco into an artistic family and drew and painted from an early age, inspired by artists: parents Mireille and Phil Wood, grandfather Gottardo Piazzoni, cousin Russ Chatham and great-uncle Maurice del Mué, among many others.
Earning a B.A. (University of California Berkeley) and an M.A. (San Francisco State University) in English, I taught college composition and literature for several years in New York and California. I also worked in educational media and photography, and was active in theater and music.
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
Painting outdoors started as a youthful summer activity and continued, off and on, into adulthood. I eventually decided to pursue my artwork professionally, and, since the 1980s, have exhibited in numerous one-man and group shows.
I prefer to use physical mailings, rather than emails, for announcements of my upcoming shows. If you would like to receive these notices, send me your U.S. postal address.
As teenagers during summers in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would paint our surroundings – oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house.
Most of the time I paiint on location. I'll look for something that intrigues me; for example, an interaction of light and shadow, a color, an arrangement of shapes, or a tranquil atmosphere.
Painting, for me, is meditative, involving observation and understanding, accuracy and truth. I want to convey the feeling of a place, its ambience and mood, while at the same time craft a work that may be hung on a wall to be contemplated and enjoyed.