I am inspired by the gift and miracle of life and the incredible beauty found in nature. Painting is a way for me to study the natural world in an effort to express the loveliness I see. I feel that there is poetry found in the flight of birds, the dancing movements of a river, light streaming through clouds, and shimmering sunlit trees in a field—all are subjects for exploration and joy. I feel that visual art is also like music in many ways and try to compose what I experience with rhythm, staccatos, crescendos, soft passages, and atmosphere. I am truly grateful for this beautiful world that God created.