Cheryl painting in the rain.
My early visual exercises began with a camera in the 1970's. I roamed streets for over a decade composing photographs on black and white film with a Leica camera. I showed my work in Vermont and in California, taught photography and won a grant from the Vermont Council on the Arts to produce a traveling show of photography. My first move into color came when I worked at hand-coloring photographs but this process never felt authentic to me. Stumbling into watercolor in 1992, I discovered a love of painting. Six years later I began working in oil and today find myself in pursuit of knowledge on the subject of painting and hungry with the desire to work hard to become a better painter.
My interest in painting landscapes stems from my desire to involve the viewer in an appreciation of the environment, and my desire to transport the viewer to a particular place or memory. Elements of atmosphere, light and color constantly interact to communicate an idea or mood in a painting. These elements are sifted through filters formed by an artist's knowledge of craft, intuitions and passion for the artists who came before. When painting out-of-doors my subconscious takes over as I try to capture the fleeting aspects of the subject. I am happiest when I am painting outside, and this is when a painting feels most authentic.
By discovering and painting landscapes about which I am passionate, I hope to heighten a sense of vision for the viewer. My paintings are successful if I have presented myself with a challenge, successfully solved a problem, and touched a viewer along the way.
Born
November 1, 1954, Burlington, Vermont
Education
University of California, Irvine
State University of New York, Albany
After studying art history and photography I went on to work in a photography gallery in San Francisco , California , teaching and curating exhibits while pursuing my own photography. I began painting in watercolor in 1992 and in oil in 1998.