Artist Statement/Bio
An environmental scientist by training, I have always focused on the relationship between humans and their environments; first through environmental advocacy, later through education, and now through art.
I have come to realize that people cannot love, much less protect, that which they do not know. As an artist, I aim to connect—and re-connect—viewers with the true beauty of nature.
When we “participate” in nature in some fashion—walking in the woods, swimming the ocean, playing in the mud, picking apples from the trees, sniffing the lilacs, or noticing the daffodils in spring—we bring nature into our beings. We move away from viewing nature as something simply to exploit, and towards seeing nature as something to treasure.
For me, the reason to paint is not to duplicate nature, but to evoke and amplify the emotions generated by looking at an object in nature. I want my paintings to access the viewer’s heart so they can be emotionally engaged and immediately drawn into a painting without necessarily knowing why. Color, composition, subject, value, line, depth or size can all open the metaphoric doors in the viewer and stir emotions. Both as a painter and photographer, I look to capture a defining moment that goes beyond simple physical representation.
I believe that beauty can be an instrument of social change. My aspiration is to create art that builds connections between nature and the human soul so that we will be better stewards for the fragile planet on which we all live.
Photographer
As a photographer of indigenous cultures and peoples, my purpose is to share unknown worlds and provide levels of understanding of other cultures that are more than just sound bites or sensationalism. In a world of computers, cell phones, frozen foods, and microwaves, I addresses the question of what life is like for those who aren’t part of that modern world? My goal is to provide a glimpse into the emotional heart of a country through the means of understanding one family’s life. My book, Moving with the Seasons: Portrait of a Mongolian Family, focuses on the life of the nomadic Mongolian family who became my collaborators in producing the book.
Painter
As a painter, I look to capture a defining moment that goes beyond a simply physical representation. My images are often small intimate moments that are packed with power. In a world where people are oversaturated with data and images- usually presented at warp speed, many people don’t register the world around them, much less nature across the country or the world. Addressing this lack of connection is where an artist can be effective. I want my paintings to evoke and amplify the emotions generated by being surrounded by a gorgeous landscape or watching flowers bursting into bloom.
Artist
I have been an exhibiting artist since 1999 and have shown my work in solo and group shows throughout the United States. When not exploring the world, I work out of my studio in Concord, Massachusetts.
Education
2013 Montserrat College of Art, Artist Professional Toolbox Certificate Program
1982 Yale University, Masters of Environmental Mangement New Haven, CT.
1979 Wesleyan University, BA cum laude, Middletown, CT.
1976 College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME.
1976 University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France.
Professional Experience
1997 – present President, Carter Creative Group offering photographs of indigenous cultures around the world.
1997 – 2001 Co-Founder of Hidden Corners, leading cultural and natural history trips to remote corners of the planet.