Les Bois
This series explores the nostalgia surrounding my return to Boise, Idaho, the city where I grew up. During my 8 year absence, the Treasure Vally grew and many open spaces were developed into subdivisions and shopping centers. As the natural environment continues to be encroached upon, I reflect on familial connections to a specific place. By enlisting family and friends as my models, the landscapes become invariably bound to memory of viewer, painter and model. The passage of time is inevitable and the choice of medium, oil on canvas, echos this. With hurried brushwork, the objective of the paintings shift from precious keepsakes to a somber record.