about me

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.

Since the 1980s, I've shown my art professionally in numerous solo and group shows, many contibuting to conservation organizations through art sales.

I work most of the time on location. When you are on the scene, in nature, paintings possess a freshness and vitality otherwise hard to achieve. That's where the best ideas originate: maybe an unexpected light in the forest, or a weather pattern, or a harmonious combination of colors.

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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