Composition, color and the manner in which paint is applied to a surface (or in the case of photography, the manner in which the surface is altered) are my first considerations; since painting is first of all a learned craft.   For me, the initial attraction is to the physicality of paint itself; texture and viscosity; the spring or resistance of the painting surface. 

As far as subject goes, it can be anything at all since neither subject nor craft alone will make or break a painting. Over the years I’ve painted everything from birds to orangutans (which are surprisingly good painting subjects if one can avoid cartoonishness.) Figures caught my interest for many years and even now I find myself being drawn back to them.  However, horses have sustained my interest the most; not only as subject matter but in their own right. The horse paintings have most clearly defined my career.

In any event, behind the scenes it’s the artist’s attitude toward the world--his or her mindset, experience and philosophical leanings-- that will either tip the scale or not toward transformation from subject to art.  An example of this occurred a number of years ago when I walked into a gallery in New York that was exhibiting large sculptures of African wildlife…a subject so often overstated and therefore, conversely, trivialized.  I was transfixed by these essentially realistic pieces that had somehow transcended their realism; had transcended the skill with which they were rendered and transcended any notions of nobility, power or sentimentality.   I probably speak for many artists when I say that each in our own way struggles to clarify, redefine, upgrade, or otherwise fine tune subtle aspects of personality, hoping we can eventually communicate transcendence and that we’ll find an audience that agrees or is otherwise moved by our subjective interpretations.  My aim, other than the simple pleasure of putting paint on a surface and seeing what develops, is to effectively communicate a point-of-view--sometimes clear and sometimes barely glimpsed—for which I might not otherwise find expression.   

The horses in my paintings don’t inhabit literal environments. I leave out extraneous references which I find to be a deterrent to making a solid painting. For the sake of strong composition, my horses are usually solitary but sometimes share the canvas with one another or occasionally with birds such as crows and magpies. I leave out the suggestion of human influence. For this reason I don’t paint my horses performing. But, this is not to say I don’t enjoy riding and interacting with my own horses and I admire, respect and depend on the heartfelt work of today’s new horsemen and horsewomen.