It's when I let myself get little that I tumble head over heels into joy.

Cherish the people who make up your home, and you'll notice the hearth fires burn brighter than ever before.

Surround yourself with the kinds of input that are uplifting, that expand your mind and settle your spirit.

People who put my paintings on their walls are putting their values on their walls: faith, family, home, a simpler way of living, the beauty of nature, quiet, tranquillity, peace, joy, hope. They beckon you into this world that provides an alternative to your nightly news broadcast.

Quiet time and solitude are vital to helping me keep perspective. I consider myself fortunate to have so much quiet built into my profession. I spend long hours by myself at my easel. And while I work, I think-of the future, of my loved ones, of God's goodness and the many exciting opportunities that surround me. I ponder the challenges I face, the needs of others, the direction my life is going.

A painting has a lot of advantages over other forms of communication. Unlike a movie, you don't have to put it into a machine and turn it on. It's just there every day. It's not limited by the element of time. It's a constant part of the home.

The worlds I paint leave a lot to engage the imagination by hinting at what lies beyond the four edges of the painting.