about me
As teenagers during summers in Monterey County, my cousin Russ (standing) and I would, following the custom, tack up our landscape paintings on the ranch house wall.
I was born in San Francisco into a family of artists who often painted the landscape. I was inspired by parents Mireille and Phil Wood, grandfather Gottardo Piazzoni, cousin Russell Chatham and great-uncle Maurice del Mué, among 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've also worked in educational media and photography.
My usual palette.
In the 1980s, I decided to practice art professionally, and have since exhibited in numerous solo and group shows, several in which art sales supported organizations working for environmental conservation.
I work most of the time on location, painting from direct observation, a process by which I can achieve a freshness and vitality and the experience of being in nature.
Me with my typical outdoor setup: paintbox, tripod, umbrella and backpack.
Me with my typical outdoor setup: paintbox, tripod, umbrella and backpack.
Without reliance on formula or fashion, I paint as honestly as I can, conveying my own sense of how a place feels and what thoughts it engenders.
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