When painting outdoors (which is my normal practice) I don't usually have a preconceived painting in my mind before I start. I simply head out of town with my gear and drive around the countryside until I find an area that feels right. I have certain places that I revisit frequently. Going to these places is like visiting old friends. I walk through these areas, take it all in, until I see something that strikes me. It's usually a mood that I'm searching for. Something that reflects how I feel on a certain day. When I connect with something I set up my easel and begin painting rapidly. Painting from life allows you to experience what's before you through all of your senses. You also don't have the luxury of time because the sun is always moving and the patterns change quickly. That race against time is where your best work can occur. You paint beyond your means without being overcritical. You simply react and surrender to something bigger than yourself. It's a great way to work and it's always fun because you feel as if you're out on a limb and working outside of any comfort zone. I tend to use smaller brushes, even on the very large canvases, because I love all of the color shifts inside of various objects. I also love paint texture. What I do is almost a combination of pointillism and expressionism.

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I keep my palette very simple. Two blues, two reds, two yellows with the addition of white and black. All of my earth tones are achieved by mixing complimentary colors into one another. Simplicity is best when working outdoors, so the less colors I have on the palette the better. I find that I can achieve any mix I want with this palette and the possibilities are unlimited. The colors I use are Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Red Deep, Cad Orange, Cad Yellow Deep, Cad Lemon Yellow, Pthalo Blue, and Titanium White.