about me

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. I didn't aspire to a career in art (that came much later, gradually), but thought of art as a pleasurable activity, done for fun, and for the personal challenge of trying to get better at it.

I still think of my art that way.

As teenagers during summers at the family's property in Carmel Valley, my cousin Russ and I would paint the land  around us: oaks and canyons, barns and fences – and tack our paintings on the wall of the ranch house, an impromptu rural art gallery. 

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. 

Since the 1980s, I've exhibited in numerous one-man and group shows. I live in Marin County, California.

Through accuracy of observation, I want to create the visual equivalent of being in the landscape. 

I paint smaller work on location; larger studio canvases are based on  work I have done in the field.