Collections

 "Bosc and D'Anjou, the Adventurous Pair of Adventurous Pears" is a series of paintings inspired by the advice of many art instructors that figures should be "carrot-shaped". Yet, many I know (including myself) are shaped more like pears. So I painted some pear-shaped figures and viewers liked them. I decided to paint more of them in  adventurous situations and named the duo after varieties of pears, Bosc and D’Anjou. Bosc is the one with the stem like head and D'Anjou wears a beautiful chapeau à plume.

I have added paintings to this collection for many years as they are fun to paint, people like them and many ask what new adventures this pair has had.

Difference isn’t something to overcome — it’s what makes life vivid.

We come alive when something breaks the pattern — a jolt of color, a new perspective, an unexpected shape. These paintings celebrate that spark. Each work in the Difference Is series plays with visual contrast: sharp vs. soft, curved vs. angular, loud vs. quiet. The tension between these elements doesn’t just decorate the canvas — it drives the story.

These are paintings meant to be looked at more than once — and from more than one angle. Most pieces in the series can be pivoted and hung in multiple orientations. With each turn, a new painting emerges. A new narrative. A different way of seeing.

Difference Is not just a visual theme — it’s an invitation to rethink how we engage with art, and with each other.

I love bright colors and interesting shapes. Paintings in my Color Forms collection were inspired by the works of Color Field artists Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, Helen Frankenthaler and others who used the expressive power of color in large fields to envelope the viewer. Their paintings typically require very large public walls to be displayed. In contrast, the paintings in my collection are on small canvasses in hopes of capturing the power of color to brighten smaller spaces. Many of the paintings in my collection are textured and some include collage to add interest. These paintings honor a favorite artist of mine, Fr Bill Moore, artist and priest who recently passed on.

This collection is named for the creative child's Colorforms toy of simple shapes cut from brightly colored vinyl sheeting that cling to a smooth backing. The pieces of vinyl can be moved around a virtually unlimited number of times to create new designs and scenarios. Much can be created from little bits of color.