my opening

My wife Sharon is a lifelong artist, and for over a dozen years, I accompanied her on visits to galleries, museums, and other artist studios. Like a child, I took it all in.

During the pandemic, like a lot of other folks, I pursued a new interest and things started to shift. In 2020, my new interest was in Forest Bathing. It was very natural for me to go into the woods when faced with chaos, and being a chef/restauranteur, there was always plenty of that. I absorbed everything I could get my hands on that had anything to do with the forest and its healing properties. Ultimately, I was certified as a Forest Therapy Guide.

That summer, I spent a great deal of time in the woods. Foraging, listening, and wandering.  One day, something opened. After a walk, I retreated to the basement, which would later become my studio, and began to move paint around. I experimented with paint as an ingredient, mixing it with thickening agents and other organic materials. Later, I began to put dimensional pieces together, and later still I started carving into wood. This curiosity and spontaneous experimentation formed the basis of my practice as an artist.

I see this time as my opening rather than my beginning. I have now retired from my businesses and dedicate each day to making art – it comes in many forms.