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?

Acrylics, oils and pastels... in that order. None. Coloured pencil; egg tempera, enamels and ceramics. Why acrylics: Ease of use and clean-up. Why oils: Brilliance, tradition, extended drying time, wide range of high quality pigments (can't find a decent Prussian blue in acrylics, for instance), superiour to acrylics for plein air painting. Pastels: Vibrant colour; fast; ease of set-up; direct application of pigment to support.

What do you think creates artistic blocks? How do you solve them?

Fear of discovering that on a given day, you are not quite as good as you think you are... or should be. You eventually realise that there will always be days you are not as good as should be, no matter what point in your development as an artist you happen to be. When I am in that frame of mind, I tell myself that there is no shame in doing your best and not achieving all you set out to accomplish, but there is shame in simply not trying because you fear you won't succeed! (When I'm really in a major funk, I remind myself that no matter what, I do not want someday to be lying in bed, about to check out, and have my last thought be: "Gee, I wish I had painted more!")

Do you support yourself from your art? Or do you have another job? Or are you retired? How does this affect your time to paint?

I'm "semi-retired", drawing a "semi-pension" and am involved with several arts organizations. I am also the "go-to"" guy for cooking, shopping and other forms of domestic endeavour. Then there are these questionnaires...

In light of the current world climate, what do you feel is the role of the artist? (For instance, do landscape painters have a responsibility to record nature before it's developed?

No more than portrait artists have a responsibility to paint honest politicians before they become extinct! In addition, there are a few safety rules plein air artists' should observe: 1) Talk art, not politics, with the people you meet while painting outdoors... especially anyone riding a camel; 2) Wear Kevlar®D"n clothing and be ready to duck whenever you hear a loud noise; 3) Don't sign up for any workshops in the Middle East.

Have you had a personal mentor? If yes, who? and how did he/she help you?

Probably the single most influential person in my life as an artist was one of my instructors in college: Mel Someroski. More than just a teacher... and he was a superb teacher... he became a close friend. Even wrote me years later while he was on a sabbatical in Ceylon studying weaving techniques. I still rely on certain key directives he laid out during the courses he taught. I and my wife... who never even knew Mel... refer to them as the "Someroski Dicta"!

Do you have a favorite art quote that inspires you?

"!Someday you will complete a painting... or drawing... which fails to be as successful as you would have wished, even though certain parts of it are exceptionally well-done. So well done, that you are reluctant to make the necessary corrections to the painting as a whole, since it would mean destroying these much loved details. Don't ever let yourself fall into that trap. Sometimes it is necessary to destroy to create a truly successful work. You must realize that if you fail to take those necessary steps, you will never be completely happy with the painting, and your love for those parts of it which were successful will in any event be compromised. Paint them over!"!

I know... it's a pretty lengthy "quote". Well, you've just been introduceed to one of the most important of the "Someroski Dicta"!!

What painting would you love to have hanging in your home? Why?

Monet's "Le Pont D'Argenteuil" or "La Pie", or virtually any of Van Gogh's self-portraits. The first two, because both were from the first half of Monet's career, yet were so wildly successful in so many ways; either would be a constant reminder to me of how far I have yet to go. The second, because Van Gogh was a genius at portraiture, and because it might provide some of the same insight I would hope to get by having a conversation with him at my party (see above).