About the Artist
Passionate Creative Artist
"When painting...everything is right with the world..."
“When painting, I have the feeling that all is right with world. Those that have my art on the walls, say it has the same effect...” – Kirk Larsen
I have been passionate about drawing and painting since early childhood and I’ve never met a medium I didn't like. My work ranges from oil painting "en plein air" to all genres of studio work, LIVE music and event paintings and all forms of sculpture. I am honored to be recognized with over 215 awards for painting in oils, acrylic, watercolors, gouache, drawing, colored pencil, mixed media, pen & ink, photography and sculpture - for portraits, still life, landscapes and abstraction.
Among these are international recognition as one the premier artists painting in major Plein air Competition Events. I enjoy the camaraderie, competition and creativity of Plein Air events as they inspire me to continually expand as an artist. I’ve had over 63 solo shows and a multitude of juried art shows. My work is in museum and private collections across the USA and in England, Ireland, Russia, Germany, Netherlands, Estonia, China and Curacao.
I Live paint for galas, live music and events as they take place. A Live Art Fusionist, my acrylic works continue to wow audiences & garner great press. I was recently flown to LA by a famous actress to paint her daughter’s wedding LIVE. It was a great success.
As an avid sailor, classic, modern and one design yacht racing has fueled my inspiration of fascinating nautical and maritime artworks. My art was featured in the Mystic Seaport museum of America and the Sea exhibition ““Modern Masterpiece – 30 Years of the Museum Purchase Award”, and I have been selected for exhibit in the Mystic Seaport Gallery's 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 36th and 37th annual “International Maritime art shows" (respectively), Quinlan Arts center museum show "Southern Waters" and my painting "Skimmer vs. IVRE" was included in a 22 month, 8 museum, national tour as part of the American Society of Marine Artists "Contemporary American Marine Art" show.
I’ve developed a teaching method that accelerates the learning curve in art; a former Professor at the Parsons New School University School of Design Strategies & associate of The School of Fashion Design, a film and television actor SAG-AFTRA; mentor & motivational speaker; I am a musician, a gourmet cook and an award winning published writer of short stories, screenplays, essays and poetry much of it about sailing and the sea. In 2025 (and 2015) nominated for Poet laureate of Nassau County.
Signature member of OPA: The Oil Painters of America (OPA), Member of Salmagundi Club NYC:
ASMA: American Society of Marine Artists, AIS: The American Impressionist Society,
MAPAPA: Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, NYPAP: New York State Plein Air Painters.
Recent honors & Juried shows include:
2026 Arts Recognition Tribute (ARTY Award) Long island Arts Council at Freeport
Citation from New York State Assembly recognizing talent, achievements and contributions to the community
Citation from Nassau County Executive recognizing talent, achievements and contributions to the community
Citation from Nassau County Legislature recognizing talent, achievements and contributions to the community
Long island Fine Art invitational :Honorable Mention "Restless & Ready" Jurors Max Ginsburg & Todd Casey
Plein Air Easton Juried Artist (9th)
Lyme Art association 2 pieces juried into "Ship to Shore" exhibition
selected artist Poetry path 2026-2027
Best nocturne Teche Plein Air "Spirits in the night" Charlie Hunter judge
Finalist Nominee Nassau County Poet laureate
Teche Plein Air Juried Artist
Lyme Art association 3 pieces An exhibition in 5 acts
Lyme Art association multiple juried Exhibitions
6 poems accepted into 6 Anthologies
2025
Rockport Art association & Museum national Show “Praying, Hoping, Waiting for the muse"
Citation for Art as Public Service from US Coast Guard & Dept of Homeland Security
3rd Place Wet Paint division Oil Painters of America National Exhibition Plein Air Paint out (203)
Oil Painters of America National Exhibition Juried Artist 4th
2nd Place "Bass rocks fog" Art on the Rocks- SEARTS Bass Rocks Art loan program, Gloucester , MA (202)
HM "The Maestro" Portraits in Bloom COSPA Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (201)
Lyme Art Association 3rd place "On the edge of the Squall" (200th)
Lyme Art Association
2024
Rockport Art association & Museum national Show “Leave the nightlight on!”
American Art collector ”In the Garden” featured artist
“I've been everywhere, man” Solo Exhibition Barnes Gallery, Garden City NY
Salmagundi 154th Fall Auctions "Summer rain in Chelsea" & "Serene quiet by the water"
Plein Air Salon BEST WESTERN Sept 24 ‘For the win!"
Plein Air Salon BEST PLEIN AIR BUILDING Aug 24 ‘BARNS COLLECTION
Plein Air Salon BEST PLEIN AIR Nocturne JULY 24 Leave the Nightlight on
Plein Air Salon BEST PLEIN AIR Landscape JUNE 24 Partridge Island Pastoral
Grand Canyon Celebration of Art 16th Annual Plein Air Invitational event Artist
HVAA Hudson Valley Art Association 91st Annual “Mako Award” Restless & Ready
"Revelations II" Clouds & Sky Honorable Mention Plein Air Salon APR 24
"Revelations II & "There's a Bug on that Painting" Top 100 finalists Apr 2024 Plein Air Salon
Oil Painters of America Salon Show Selected work "Two Friends Hanging out”
Hudson Valley Art Association 91st Annual Art Exhibition Selected work
COGAP Coast Guard Art Program Accepted Artist
"Wispy" 2nd place Abstract BoldBrush Feb 2024 Painting competition
North Carolina Plein Air festival, New Bern
Olmsted plein Air Invitational (April)
Shadows on the Teche Plein Air
2023 Plein Air Salon DEC "Loopestra LIVE" Honorable mention Plein Air Acrylics
Plein Air Salon SEPT "Restless & Ready" BEST Vehicle
Plein Air Salon August Top 100 "Restless & Ready" Vehicle
COGAP Coast Guard Art Program Accepted Artist
"Revelations II" FAV15% September 2023 BoldBrush Painting competition
"Wispy" FAV15% September 2023 BoldBrush Painting competition
'Midnight Swim' featured in Plein Air magazine Oct/nov
Plein Air Salon August Top 100 "For the Win!" Plein Air oil
Plein Air Salon August Top 100 "Restless & Ready" Vehicle
"Loopestra-Live", FAV15% August BoldBrush Painting competition
"Into the light", FAV15% August BoldBrush Painting competition
COGAP Coast Guard Art Program Accepted Artist
Salmagundi Club Member show Top Prize 'Mary Macoy award' for "Revelations II"
"Revelations II" & "Dark & Stormy" Make Boldbrush Fav 15% July 2023
Salmagundi club NY Fun in the Sun Exhibition "Boardwalk" & "Woohoo!"
Plein Air Salon July 2023 Plein Air Salon Best Plein Air Oil "Midnight Swim"
Plein Air Salon Top July 100 "Midnight Swim"
Cape Ann Plein Air Juried Artist
Plein Air Salon June 2023 Honorable Mention "Midnight Swim"
Plein Air Easton kick-off Alumni podcast & Demo, Quick draw finalist
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational Plein Air Atalanta GA
American Impressionist Society Small works Exhibition "Two Friends hanging out"
Shadows on the Teche Plein Air Juried artist
Finalist Boldbrush "The Mighty Maria-Joann"
2022 Oil Painter's of America Eastern regional juried Artist "Restless & Ready"
COGAP Coast Guard Art Program Accepted Artist
Cape Ann Plein Air Juried Artist
Paint Grand Traverse Juried artist
Plein Air Salon Honorable mention Nocturne "Night train to Manchester"
Finalist Boldbrush "The Mighty Maria-Joann"
Paint Grand Traverse Juried artist
American Impressionists Society (AIS) Associates online Exhibition juried Artist
Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, Steamboat Art Museum "The mighty Maria Jo-Ann" plein air work
Paint Annapolis Juried Artist
3rd Place Suffolk VA Plein Air Quickdraw Mani St Boogie
Honorable Mention Suffolk VA Plein Air What ever floats your boat
Suffolk VA Plein Air Juried artist
2022 Shadows on the Teche Plein Air
2021 BEST NOCTURNE Shadows on the Teche Plein Air, New Iberia LA
American Impressionists Society (AIS) Associates online juried Artist
COGAP Coast Guard Art Program Accepted Artist
2021 Plein Air Easton Juried Artist (8th time)
2021 Honey i shrunk the Art! Group Small works show Darcy Gallery at The Firefly Artist
2021 "Best Boat painting" award Judge Larry Moore, Gloucester Plein Air Festival Invitational, Gloucester VA
2021 "Best Nocturne" Awards judge ken Bachauus, Shadows on the Teche , New Iberia LA, Plein Air Juried Artist
2021 "20/20 hindsight: juried Photography exhibition Art guild of Port Washington
2021 Out Of isolation Juried Art exhibition Firefly Artist Upper Gallery
2020 Paint Grand Traverse *PGT) Selected Artist
2020 Plein Air Easton (PAE) Pandemic Plein Air Juried artist
2020 August Workshop and Juror for Clayton Plein Air (thousand Islands NY)
2020 Jurist Hudson Valley Plein Air
2019 CAPA (Cape Ann Plein Air "Honoring the great painters of Cape Ann" award Twist & Shout Juror Kenn Bachaus
2019 Grand Canyon Celebration of Art Invitational Plein Air event, Arizona
2019 Paint grand Traverse, Traverse City, Michigan
2019 Castine Plein Air, Castine, Maine
2019 Salmagundi Club NY "Martins Barns" Frederick S Church Award
2019 Parrsboro plein air 2019 HM juror Nancy Tankersly
2019 Chadds Ford Paint out, Chadds Ford, PA
2019 Virtuoso's of the OPA (Oil painters of America) Selected artist Cutter & Cutter, St Augustine, FL
2018 Best Nocturne, Cape Ann Plein Air, Juror Don Demers
2018 American Society of Marine Artists selected artist ASMA 40th Anniversary Marine Art Invitational Principle Gallery Charleston
2018 Highlight full page Fine Art Connoisseur magazine "Praying hope waiting for the muse" oils 16x20
2018 Fine Art Today, Fine Art Connoisseur Highlighted the story of the painting of "In All Her Glory"
2018 1st Place Clayton Plein Air "Illuminated point" oils 10x20
2018 Juried Artist Cape Ann Plein Air
2018 seARTS Bass Rocks Exhibtion 2nd PL Award of Excellence "Last Offload of the Season" oils 16x20
2018 SCNY juried artist 6 exhibitions: Spring auction/photo/Nautical show/Thumb Box show/ member show/Floral
2018 Honorable Mention "Everything I wanted" oils 6x8 Parrsboro International Plein Air (PIPA) Nova Scotia, CA Juror Dick Sneary
2018 Juried Artist Parrsboro International Plein Air (PIPA) Nova Scotia, CA
2018 taught Special seminar Workshop in Plein Air for Art teachers K-12 Hicksville High School, NY
2018 2nd Place Award of excellence Bass Rocks/seArts Art loan program, Gloucester, MA
2018 Award of Merit Art Muse contest "Go!"
2017 Edwin A. Abbey SCNY Award "Classic Saturday" Salmagundi Club Fall Auction
2017 NOAPS juried artist Small works
2017 2nd Place Quick Draw En Plein Air Texas "Go!"
2017 Juried artist En Plein Air Texas
2017 Best of America- National Oils & Acrylics Painters Society (NOAPS) Juried artist, "Praying, hoping waiting for the muse" oils 16x20
2017 Honorable Mention Solomons Island Plein Air- Paint the town/Quick draw "Good lines" Judge Jason Sacron
2017 Honorable Mention Solomons Island Plein Air "Great Light, sweet surf" (Cove Pt sunrise) Judge Jason Sacron
2017 Juried artist Solomons Island Plein Air
2017 Salmagundi club NY juried artist "The Sea Alone" oils 30x40 Nautical exhibition
2017 Bucks County Plein Air QUICK-DRAW Honorable mention
2017 Bucks County Plein Air Juried artist
2017 Juried Artist Mountain Maryland Plein Air
2017 Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational, Invited artist & demonstrator
2017 California Art Club (CAC) Juried show selection "At the Beach" 8x16 acrylics Quintessential California Exhibition
2017 2nd Place/Best Landscape : Town of Oyster Bay Citation of Recognition- TOB Arts Council, NY
2017 Paradise Paint Out Plein Air Invitational Invited artist
2017 OPA Signature status bestowed
2017 California Art Club (CAC) Juried show 'Art after Dark" 16x20 acrylics & "LAF Second set" 16x20 acrylics -Musical Motifs Exhibition
2016 California Arts Club (CAC) Juried show "Grapplers of Reliable Recycling" oils 10x15 The Plein Air Perspective exhibition
2016 Cape Ann Plein Air Juried Artist
2016 OPA Salon Show Plein Air competition 1st place Juror CW Mundy
2016 OPA Salon Show selected work “Catoctin Breeze”
2016 OPA Salon Show Demonstrator -Plein Air Nocturne
2016 Juried artist The American Artists Professional League 88th Grand National Exhibition 2016 "In All her Glory"
2016 The 37th annual International Maritime art show at the Gallery at Mystic Seaport (6th juried inclusion)
2016 Plein Air Salon –Plein Air Magazine "Best depiction of water studio of Plein Air" Feb/Mar
2016 California Art Club ‘Plein Air Perspective show’ juried artist “Grapplers of reliable recycling”
2016 Salmagundi Club NY Selected for Nautical show/Thumb Box show/ member show/Floral
2016 Plein Air Easton juried Artist (5th yr)
2016 Easels in Fredrick, plein air competition (4th juried inclusion)
2016 1st Place/Best Landscape : Town of Oyster Bay Citation of Recognition- TOB Arts Council, NY
2016 Salmagundi Club NY Monoprint show- Certificate of Merit "Moon & Snow"
2016 Paradise Paint Out Plein Air 2nd place Quickdraw
2016 Buck's County Plein Air , juried artist
2015 OPA Eastern regional show (3rd selection) “Waiting, hoping, prating for the muse”
2015 OPA Salon show -Plein Air competition 3rd place
2015 OPA Salon show- selected “Defender’s last hurrah’
2015 OPA National show -Plein Air competition Honorable mention
2015 OPA National show selected “Sweet spot" (2nd national)
2015 "Modern Masterpieces" exhibition Museum of America & the Sea at Mystic Seaport
2015 Salmagundi Club NY (SCNY) nautical show
2015 “Light over Water” Three month Solo show Oyster Bay water Scenes O.B. Historical Society, NY
2015 Aiken Design Center, Aiken, SC duel Show with Susan McCarty
2015 The 36th annual International Maritime art show at the Gallery at Mystic Seaport
2015 Salmagundi in Vermont - Bennington center for the arts, VT
2015 Art of the Animal Kingdom & Small Works show- - Bennington center for the arts, VT
2015 Home on the Range: landscapes we love. Honorable mention "Cold Spring Church"
2015 Small Works show- Bennington center for the arts, VT
2015 Home on the Range: landscapes we love. Honorable mention "Cold Spring Church"
2014/2015 Bold Brush competition Jury's Fav 15% 6 times
2014 "Golden hour" oils 6x6 3rd place winner at in the Higbee 6Squared show
2014 Laumeister Fine art show Bennington Center for the Arts "Perseverance award" Grapplers of reliable recycling
2014 Adirondack Plein Air competition Saranac Lake award for "Lumbering"
2014/2015 Raymar online Art competition Finalist Nov 2014
2014 American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) 16th National Contemporary American maritime art Show "In All her Glory"
2014 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional show selected artist "In All her Glory"
2014 June Finger Lakes Plein Air -Artist's Choice
2014 May "Into the light" selected BoldBush favorite 15%
2014 April Winner Plein Air Salon 1st place "All subject Matter" Outdoor Painter/Plein Air Magazine
2014 Winner 1st Place-wet painting division Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association (MAPAPA)
2013 Cranford's paint the town Plein Air competition 3rd place
2013 Bucks county New Hope's 'local color invitational Mayor's Award
2013 April Honorable Mention Callaway Gardens Plein Air Quick Draw
2012 Museum purchase award (permanent collection) Mystic Seaport Museum of America and the Sea
2012 Grand Prize & Collector's Choice awards at Easels in Frederick,
2011 First Place at New Hope's local color invitational, Quick draw
2011 Grand prize winner at Cranford's Quick draw competition
2012 Oct Award of Merit "Plein Air 757" Virginia Beach, VA
2012 Sept Winner first Place Quick-Draw VERMONT Plein Air
2012 July Winner “Old Glory” plein air painting challenge iPaintoutdoors.com
2012 June featured artist spotlight Fios TV Long island –plein air painting
2012 June Winner Town of Oyster Bay “Excellence in oil painting”
2012 May selected for one year aerial sculpture installation at The Tilles Center at C.W.Post (2-14-2015)
2012 June Live Music fusion demo Art League of Long island
2012- Mar Winner people in plein air painting challenge iPaintoutdoors.com
2011 Feb Newsday Long island & LI Explore.com featured artist in articles about
2011-2013 Painting "Skimmer vs. IVRE" was included in a 22 month, 8 museum, national tour as part of the ASMA "Contemporary American Marine Art" show.
"Artist of the Year" by Talent in Motion Magazine
The Katlin Family Seascape award from the Salmagundi Club, NYC
First Place for landscape in the Oyster Bay "Bay day Art Festival"
The Isabelle Steinschneider Memorial Award - Hudson Valley Art Association’s 80th annual show.
Plein Air Events 2024
Plein Air painting-Italy (Tuscany, Cinque Terra, Milan)
OPA National Wet Paint Competition, Award winner
North Carolina Plein Air, AKA New Bern plein Air
Artists on Location, Knoxville, TN
Shadows on the Teche Plein Air
Plein Air Events 2024
Grand Canyon Celebration of the Arts~Invitational, Grand Canyon National Park
North Carolina Plein Air, AKA New Bern plein Air
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational Plein Air Atalanta GA
Shadows on the Teche Plein Air
Plein Air Events 2023
Cape Ann Plein Air
Plein Air Easton Alumni podcast & Demo, Quick draw finalist
Olmsted Plein Air Invitational Plein Air Atalanta GA
Shadows on the Teche Plein Air
Plein Air Events 2022
Shadows on The Teche
Annapolis Plein Air
Paint Grand Traverse
Suffolk Plein Air VA
Cape Ann Plein Air
Plein Air Events 2021
Shadows on The Teche
Gloucester Invitational Plein Air
Plein Air Easton
Folly Cove Invitational
Plein Air Events 2020
Pandemic Plein Air: Plein Air Easton
Plein Air Events 2019
Cape Ann Plein Air
Grand Canyon Celebration of the Arts~100th Anniversary of Grand Canyon national Park
Paint Grand Traverse
Parrsboro International Plein Air
Chadds Ford Paintout
Plein Air events 2018
Cape Ann Plein Air
Parrsboro International Plein Air
Artists on Location Knoxville, TN
Chadds Ford Paintout
Plein Air events 2017
En Plein Air Texas
Solomon's Island Plein Air, MD
Long Beach island Plein Air, NJ
Mountain Maryland Plein Air
Bucks County Plein Air, PA
Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational-Apalachicola/Pt St Joe
Chadds Ford Paint-out
Paradise paint Out Invitational- Islamorada, FL.
2016:
Cape Ann Plein Air
OPA Salon show Plein Air competition 1st Place
Paradise paint Out- Islamorada, FL.
Bucks County Plein Air 2016, PA
Easels In Frederick, MD (5th yr)
Old Westbury Gardens, NY
Plein Air Easton (6th yr)
Long Beach island Plein Air, NJ
Plein air events 2015:
Bath County plein Air (Sept)
Juror of Awards Adirondack Plein Air festival (Aug)
OPA Salon show Plein Air competition 3rd place award winner
OPA National Show Plein Air competition Honorable mention award winner
Olmsted Plein Air invitational, Atlanta, GA April 2015
Plein air Easton (5th consecutive year),
Easels in Frederick (4rd con.Yr)
Finger Lakes plein Air (2nd Automatic as award winner)
Wayne Plein Air (3rd yr)
?Selected into the 31st,32nd,33rd, 34th ,36th and 37th Annual International Marine Art Exhibits at Mystic Seaport.
?2013- Callaway plein air, Cranford Plein air, Easels in Frederick, Easton plein Air, New hope (Local color)
?2012 Juried Plein air competitions: Callaway Plein Air 2012, , , Wayne Plein Air 2012 , Plein Air Easton (2nd yr). Tall ships OpSail 2012 New London, 757 Plein Air (VA)
?2012 Invitationals: Curacao Plein air 2012 (2nd yr), Plein Air painters of Mystic Seaport Gallery 2012 (3rd yr), New Hope PA “Local Color” (inaugural yr)
GALLERIES:
The Firefly Artists Gallery, Northport, NY
Barnes gallery, Garden City, NY
Camden Falls Gallery, Camden ME
Castle Gallery of Fine Art, FT Wayne IN
Patricia Hutton Galleries, Doylestown, PA
William Ris Gallery Stone Harbor, NJ & Jamesport , NY
Harwood Hill Arts Motel, Bennington, VT
The Good Art Company Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX
