St. Pete Portrait Artist

Over two years ago I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida from Nosara, Costa Rica. Nosara is where my professional journey in art began back in 2012. After five years, though, I would find myself returning to my home state of Florida to join the artistic community of St. Pete, just across the bridge from Tampa, my home town. Since making St. Pete home, I’ve been focused on developing a new body of work which includes paintings of wildlife and people. But for the purpose of this blog, I’d like to introduce myself to the community as a St. Pete portrait artist and figurative artist.

Figurative Art that Connects People with the Natural World

As a figurative painter, and as someone who has a deep love for nature and wildlife, I want to explore that relationship. In my work you’ll find that I integrate people, nature and wildlife. The reason I do this is because I believe we need to be more connected. So many of the issues in our society have to do with us being removed from nature. We live our lives separating ourselves from the natural world, and by doing so we harm nature and wildlife without realizing it.

We also harm our own mental health by disconnecting from the healing powers of the natural world. That may sound a little too woo-woo for many of you, but seriously, nature is healing. Anyone who has taken the time to lay down on a beach at night and look up at the stars knows what I’m talking about. Anyone who has swam in a natural spring, sat and observed the elegant grace of birds, or witnessed a mountain range from the highest peek understands. So, I see no reason to separate people from nature in my art. But I do see many reasons to connect us together.

Below, I’d like to share with you some of my figurative paintings.

The Oneness Series

The three paintings above are known as the Oneness Series. They depict children from different places and with different cultures, and yet, they are all so similar. The purpose of this series is to celebrate diversity while recognizing the inherent oneness of humanity. The other purpose is to emphasize the spiritual connection with the natural world. It’s about a higher, deeper, and more real understanding of connection.

Where do we go from here?

Another piece depicting a child is this one above I call “Where do we go from here?” In this case you see a child not just connecting with nature, but she stands with wildlife. She and the animals look to the future, not knowing what’s next. It’s an environmental piece. Its purpose is to help us understand that the innocent ones deserve to be protected from harm. The various species should have a path forward, and children should grow up in a world with wildlife. They are all innocent. They are deserving of life. And like the little girl, we too should stand with the animals. This piece won the Friends of the Museum Award at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts in 2019.

Forest Dream

There is something liberating and peaceful about the idea of laying on a bed of fall leaves clothed only in a blanket. It is another form of connection with the natural world – To feel comfortable enough to sleep and dream outside in a forest, with the cool mountain air and the sounds of song birds.

Voice of Nature

This piece, depicting the same model as the last, is about listening to nature and becoming one with nature. Plants and birds surround and embrace the young woman. Her hair imitates the vines that crawl up her arm. She listens, feels, and finds joy in that embrace. She hears and understands the voice of nature. This piece is currently hanging in Articles Gallery in St. Pete, FL.

Free Spirit

The act of releasing a caged bird can be interpreted in more than one way. Whether it applies to the need for animals to be free, or whether it applies to us being free from our own physical or spiritual cages, it is something that everyone can relate to in some way. A bird should not be caged. A bird should fly as nature intended. And while the bird returns to nature, so should we.

Portrait of Vickie

This portrait was commissioned by a docent from the James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg, Florida. And like the art at the James Museum, it takes place in the west. This piece focuses on Vickie’s connection with New Mexico. She wears clothing and Jewelry from that region and observes one of its famous sunsets.

Commissioned Paintings

I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out some of my figurative art. If you are ever interested in a commissioned painting of your own, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] or by phone at 813-452-8963. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog. Now, I hope you make some time to get out and enjoy nature!

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