What is your medium now? (oils, acrylic, pastel, watercolor...) What medium have you always wanted to use, but haven't yet? What mediums have you used in the past? Why do you prefer your current medium?

My medium of choice is oil. I find that it is very versatile. You can use it thin and achieve a particular look or you can use it straight from the tube to build impasto. I also like its ability to remain wet and be able to work on a piece without pressure. I often will start a piece on location and finish it the next day in the studio yet maintaining the wet on wet characteristic. Oil has really been the medium I have used since I started painting. I also love the "perfume" of oils or to be more precise the linseed oil.

Do you think the specific art materials you use are critical to the success of your work? If so, why?

Absolutely. I couldn't achieve the look I aspire to unless I used oils and specific brands. The oils are the perfect consistency for me to build the layers of colors and the ultimate vibrations that I desire.

On the monthly paintouts, how do you decide what to paint? What draws your eye to a particular scene?

I am a want-to-be romantic and always look for the idyllic landscape when I attend the monthly paint-outs. Not necessarily available to the untrained eye, I often find myself inventing parts of the composition, but I suppose that is what makes art so unique. What I choose to paint may also depend on what mood I may be in. I do sometimes push the limits of my ability and try to paint the unusual subject or experiment with different techniques. Sometimes it is successful, sometimes it is just a lesson on what not to do, but I enjoy pushing myself to new horizons. I feel I have nothing to loose but only something to gain. I am not out to paint what may look good on a nail or please a potential customer, but I am there for nature, to please her and hope that I can portray her as best of my ability.

Do you do preliminary sketches before painting your subject? In a sketchbook? Or directly on the canvas or paper? Why?

I almost always do a preliminary sketch of my subject in my sketchbook. I use a black marker. I try to play the composition and decide what format is best as well as where the focal point is. I simplify the masses directly on my sketch and use it as my initial inspiration when I lay the first notes on the canvas. It is less distracting then viewing the landscape as there is a lot of minor details that can be left out that many would otherwise include. The sketch keeps me focused on major shapes which is key to a good composition.

What colors are on your palette? Why?

I like to use many colors that way I will use them! I find that when you use a limited palette your paintings are boring, I personally love color and when I see it on my palette it makes it easier to find it out there on the subject.

Do you prefer wood, glass or paper for your palette surface? Why?

I use wood for my palette surface. I love the "organic" feel to it. Once it is properly treated a wooden palette is better then glass in my opinion and it has a beautiful color and sheen.

Do you prefer to sit or stand when you are painting? Why?

I prefer to stand while I am painting. I like the freedom of being able to walk away from my painting and also be able to stand back far enough to get a better prospective. I find when I sit I tend to crouch over the painting and my arm is stiffer. Standing definitely works best for me.

What new art techniques have you discovered this year that have influenced your work?

This year I have experimented with the palette knife. I have done several paintings just with the knife and was pleased with the result. I use thick impasto and I feel almost like I am sculpting the landscape, although the finished product doesn't look like it. By using the knife it has limited me to painting the larger shapes and leaving unnecessary detail out. The knife also enables me to keep my colors fresh and pure and using different techniques with color imposition. I now find that using a brush for the first color notes, then working with mainly a knife for the secondary and final notes, with the occasional use of brush for the last details gives my paintings the feeling I am trying to achieve. I am always willing to experiment with different techniques, and I am sure this latest style will evolve into something only the future will tell. I am never limited to my tools or imagination. That is the fun part of painting, the unpredictability of what the next painting may look like.

When do you know a painting is really finished? Or are you always wanting to "tweak" it a bit more?

When do I know a painting is finished? Well, perhaps never! A painting may never be finished, even if you feel it may be at the moment, the next day or week or month you see it again and you know that something is missing. I call this the artist curse. Once I think I have finished a painting it takes a lot of discipline to not touch it again.

What plein air supplies do you recommend having in your car for spontaneous painting?

What plein air supplies I recommend? I love my Open box M. I have a Bogen tripod and different size Open Box M palette/panel holders. I love using Raymar claessen linen panels and have several sizes always available. I tend to prefer 10x12 or 9x12 as format. Plus I have my oil paints and brushes/palette knifes. This is my travel kit. I have a cheap backpack and everything fits in like a charm, oh and let's not forget viva paper towels!