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Jazz Baby

I am a figurative oil painter inspired by the romantic work of the nineteenth century British artists called the Pre-Raphaelites, particularly John Everett Millais and J. W Water house, who painted dramatic scenes from Arthurian legend, Greek mythology and European history. The lushness of their color-palette, their love for costumes and pastoral setings (very like southwestern Wisconsin, where I live), and the emotional drama of their story portrayals continue to draw me. Most of my ideas for paintings come from literature as well as history. “Girl Without a Pearl Earring” was inspired by the novel Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier after the famous Vermeer painting. 

My Scandinavian heritage also inspires me. The folklore subjects and remote landscape of forests and lakes, depicted in the paintings of Finnish artist Akseli Gallen Kallela, resonate with my interest in ancient oral poetry and my childhood upbringing in northern Minnesota. On a more domestic plane, Swedish artist Carl Larsson, who chronicled his family as they picnicked, celebrated or worked to create their handcrafted home, lures me likewise to depict my portrait subjects interacting with friends and family. “Chickadees” portrays my daughter and her friend on a cross-country skiing excursion. The border of the painting suggests a hand-knit sweater design. As a portraitist, I enjoy painting my models engaged in an activity that means something to them. The compositions are inspired by their relationships, their adventures, their interests and their dreams. I have portrayed my subjects as bush pilots, fishing for trout, or characters from Jane Austen novels. In “The Sun on Her Face”, a friend is imagined as Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice on one of her country rambles. 

I was educated at Saint Olaf College in history and ancient Greek literature (particularly the Homeric poems), at UW Eau Claire in life drawing, and at UW Madison in painting with oils. In addition, I have attended workshops with figurative artist Tim Tyler and plein-air artist George Van Hook.