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?

Yes, materials are important to me. I like oil paints because you can do just about anything with them. If I'm painting with oils on lead primed linen, it's a match made in heaven.

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

Choosing what to paint, and why to paint it, is such an important part of the creative process! Holding up the viewfinder, what do I see that would create a solid abstract composition? What pattern is pleasing, and how do the forms, values and colors work together to produce a composition best suited to getting my idea across?

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

I like to do preliminary studies in black and white. Sometimes I use markers to do this, and sometimes paint, but I usually do it on a small piece of foamboard.

Give workshops? Own a gallery? Author a book? Lecture? Participate in competitions (either as a painter or judge)? Describe your experiences.

It's helpful to paint with other people. Not only is it a great learning experience to see what other painters create, but it's fun to socialize afterwards. For example, if you're in an organized paint-out and the work is displayed at the end of a few days of intense painting, it's an awe inspiring moment to walk into the gallery where all of the recent "new babies" are framed and ready to be seen, (and it's a bonus to have a glass of wine in hand).

Though most of us prefer working outdoors, do you prefer a studio where you live or maintaining a separate space? Why?

There's really nothing quite like painting outdoors, but studio painting has its rewards too. I like painting outdoors whenever possible, because it's easy to become fully immersed in nature - there it is in front of you moving and changing by the minute. In the studio, I find that it's a relief to have more time; enough time to work larger from plein air sketches or more deliberately from a still life set-up that will be waiting for you unchanged the next day.

Can you describe a comical situation that occurred during one of your painting sessions that others would enjoy hearing?

I was driving around the island of Maui in a beat up rent-a-wreck when I spotted a beautiful scene to paint. A guy was working on his garden, and I wanted to get him in my painting, so I pulled over and set up fast. The best vantage point was from the front passenger seat, with the car door open. I commenced to go where we all do when dashing off a painting outdoors - completely unconscious that the overhead light was burning away. Imagine my surprise when I tried the ignition at the end of three hours! I ended up hiking to the nearest house in the neighborhood to sheepishly ask if I could use their phone, (no, I didn't even own a cell phone then).

How do you measure your personal progress as an artist?( I am not referring to sales or shows)

I've noticed that despite having painted a zillion paintings, the most progress that I've made is when I improve my ability to see. If I'm not looking things abstractly I come away sort of frustrated at the end of the day.

When did you first want to become an artist? (And when did you realize you were one?) Did you draw or paint as a child? What were your subjects?

One of my earliest painting memories is at the easel in kindergarten. We had our Dad's shirts on backwards for damage control and a big piece of paper propped up in front of us. The paints were in orange juice cans, (several different colors with a brush in each can). I remember the texture-it ran a little, but not too much, and how good it felt to smear it on the paper. I'm still doing exactly the same thing only with more expensive materials

How do you feel about art education - the value of a college degree, attending workshops, etc.? Art School vs a liberal arts education? Which path did you follow?

I got both of my degrees in art education. But for me, the most valuable education has been in studio classes or open studio practice sessions.

Which art books or art magazines do you turn to for inspiration?

I've been reading a terrific book about painting by David Leffel, it's called "An Artist Teaches, Reflections on the Art of Painting".