To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

-William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

Photographers, like other artists, have a variety of goals in their work.  I feel that being open with these motivations helps to build trust and by an extension, a relationship with my audience. Therefore, I would like to share my thoughts on what and why of my image creation.

Reflecting on my images over the years, my work has three major nexuses.  The first is the setting.  I am a landscape photographer; as such, I seek to create images of compelling scenes that are in front of me.  And in my fortunate case, these broadly fall within the realm of the coast and the mountains.  These views are the places where I live and work.  They are places that are, while both familiar, are also locations of continuous surprise, scenes within scenes that, although known, present as new with a twist of framing, angle, or light.  I seek to find the new within the recognizable, and to surprise within the accustomed.

The second driver of my work is form.  I am drawn to create images that are simple in composition but also give voice to a range of colors and structures.  Additionally, I am fascinated by atmospherics; clouds, fog, and snow are common elements in my work.  One might (properly) speculate that my Scottish heritage, combined with growing up on the ocean, informed my affection for the weather and its effects.  Both are true, and both inform my images.

The last common ley-line is the creative process itself.  I believe we are all given gifts of creativity, and that we are at our respective best when we channel these abilities.  For me, art is a sacred act, one that, while profoundly personal, is also at the same time something that transcends us. To explore your own creative power is a wonderful place, an expanse, or ocean that I am grateful to swim in. Photography affords the space to be grounded and at the same time transcends the limits that I place on myself and my habitual perceptions. In this sense, I find the practice of photography to be a spiritual act, one that places me in the familiar, but also guides me towards a perspective that is liminal and just on the horizon of perception.

And I am grateful to be able to share my work with you.