Truth in Sight Film
Truth in Sight is a journey into the lives and teaching philosophy of two American Impressionists, Charles Hawthorne and Henry Hensche, who taught a very specific painting method at The Cape School of Art, in Provincetown, MA, from late 1800s to late 1900s. A former Hensche student, Ken Massey, leads us through the historic legacy of these two men—through stories, demonstrations and conversations with students.
Truth in Sight is a journey into the lives and teaching philosophy of two American Impressionists, Charles Hawthorne and Henry Hensche, who taught a very specific painting method at The Cape School of Art, in Provincetown, MA, from late 1800s to late 1900s.
I began this project in 2014 with Ken Massey, Hensche expert (and my painting instructor), as a way to capture the historical legacy of this important painting theory. In the film, Ken leads us through the historic legacy of Hawthorne and Hensche—through stories, demonstrations, and conversations with students.
We are currently looking for professional post-production funding. Here’s our latest trailer for the film: https://vimeo.com/315764981 (on a personal note, if you really want to learn a lot about something—make a documentary about it!)
Blue Book Project
Do You Like Blue? is an art education book that encourages children to experiment freely with color, as well as develop what Impressionist painters call “color seeing.” This skill is best nurtured in young children through playful experimentation with paint and color.
I began work on my second children’s book in 2021. Do You Like Blue? is an art education book that encourages children to experiment freely with color, as well as to develop what Impressionist painters call “color seeing.” This skill is best nurtured in young children through playful experimentation with paint and color.
This book teaches children to observe color with an open mind; trust their own artistic judgment and eyes; play with mixing paint colors; and to enjoy “naming” the new shades they create. Do You Like Blue? provides children a fun immersion in one of the most important aspects of artistic development: the Impressionist theory of color study.
Flower Book Project
A Dozen Flowers for You! is a delightful collection of poetry designed to introduce children to various types of flowers and the joys of painting. Featuring the author’s colorful artwork, each poem is a whimsical response to a dozen different floral paintings. This book playfully instructs and entertains children through ekphrastic poetry, as well as invites them to explore the wonder of color and art.
A Dozen Flowers for You! is a poetry collection designed to introduce children to various types of flowers and the joys of painting. I wrote each of the dozen poems contained in the book as a response to my floral paintings. The book seeks to both playfully instruct and entertain children through ekphrastic poetry, as well as invite them to explore the wonder of color and art.
In 2020 A Dozen Flowers for You! was self-published—100 limited edition, hard-cover books. Still have a few available for sale! ($30)
Note: In ancient Greece, the term ekphrasis described the skill of describing a thing in vivid detail. In the modern world, ekphrastic poetry is defined as poems written in response to objects or works of art.
Windowsill Series
I began the Windowsill Study Series in January, 2011. My intention was to observe and compare the light key effects of two south-facing windowsills between the hours of 2:30-4:30 PM. My windowsill view varied in distance and angle, with a different set-up each month for a year. I worked on each painting for 4 –10 (or more) sessions, and it took me five years to complete the series.
I began the Windowsill Study Series in January, 2011. My intention was to observe and compare the light key effects of a south-facing windowsill between the hours of 2:30-4:30 PM. The view varied in distance and angle, with a different set-up each month for a year. I worked on each painting for 4 –10 (or more) sessions, and it took me five years to complete this series.
My method of study, developed by the late Henry Hensche, followed Monet’s idea of study by doing series work. Hensche extended this idea and developed his own method of study. This method has helped me more deeply learn about color, light, atmospheric conditions and 3-dimensional modeling of forms.
In the fall of 2015, I printed and sold 50 limited edition, signed 2016 calendars.
