Paintings

oil + metal leaf on cradled panel

A painting of a moose in the forest, with its head tilted back and antlers visible, surrounded by trees and foliage.

Bring The Outdoors In

An early morning hike in the woods, watching the light crest the horizon spilling across leaves and between trees, the soft sound of birds chirping, the crunch of dried leaves underfoot, the scent of pine trees, animals scurrying about all around- that sensory experience of being out in nature is the inspiration behind my paintings.

Metal leaf is the heart and soul of these pieces. It brings forth a sense of movement- making a piece feel alive in the way the metal reflects and changes every time you look at it.

PORTFOLIO

A detailed painting of a bear's head and upper body, holding a branch with berries in its mouth, against a gold foil background.
Painting of a black bear with a mountain and forest landscape in the background, setting sun, and purple lupine wildflowers in the foreground.
Painting of a moose with large antlers surrounded by foliage, with a gold leaf forest background.
PORTFOLIO
Painting of two moose in Hermit Lake, with a forest, mountain, and views of Tuckerman Ravine in the background.
Close-up of a painted portrait of a moose surrounded by autumn leaves in a soft background with warm copper tones.
A painting of a mother loon and two babies in Hermit Lake, NH with a background of forest and mountains.
Painting of a moose eating from tree branches with its tongue slightly out, surrounded by golden leaves and branches.
Painting of an owl perched on a branch surrounded by autumn foliage.
A painted artwork of a fox standing on a rock surrounded by yellow flowers, with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.
A painting of a large moose in a forest, with trees and bushes surrounding it.
A painting of a mother and baby moose standing among trees and bushes, with a background of autumn-colored leaves and gold.
Painting of a woodpecker on a tree trunk with yellow and green leaves surrounding it.
A painting of a red cardinal bird perched on a branch with a textured background of beige and copper tones.
A painting of two bears among green leaves and red and black berries, with a forest and sky in the background.
Painting of a hummingbird feeding from a purple flower against on a gold leaf background.
A painting of a bull moose with tongue out in a forest scene.
A painting of a moose eating from a tree branch, set in an autumn forest with a copper and gold background.
Painting of a resting fox lying on a surface with a background in warm copper tones.
A painting of two baby moose standing close together, in a golf foil field of grasses.
Oil painting of a black bear eating red berries from a plant in a copper leaf background.
A painting of an owl with detailed brown and gray feathers, perched on a branch against a background of gold leaf.
Painting of two deer locking antlers, with detailed brushstrokes and a silver leaf forest background.
%22Barn Owl%22 - KAdams-1.jpg
%22Bull Moose%22 - KAdams-1.jpg
%22Cow Moose%22 - KAdams-1.jpg
%22Moonlit Moose%22 - KAdams-1.jpg
%22Swans%22 - KAdams-1.jpg
Fawn Web-2.jpg
Blueberry Bear Web-2.jpg
Purple Flower Web-2.jpg
Grazing Web-2.jpg
Duckling Web-2.jpg
Nectar Web-1.jpg
The Thaw Web-2.jpg

The Process

  • I sketch out an outline of my idea on my iPad making sure to include the sections where I want the metal leaf to go.

  • I order a print of my sketch in the same size as the panel I’m going to paint on. I use graphite tracing paper to then transfer the sketch onto the panel.

  • Once the drawing is on the panel I use an adhesive to paint the areas where the metal leaf will be applied. The adhesive cures for an hour and then I apply metal leaf sheets, burnish the metal leaf and in 24 hours I use a soft brush to brush away any excess metal leaf.

  • After the metal leaf has been applied I apply three coats of a gloss archival varnish to seal the metal leaf so it is protected from scratches and tarnishing. 24 hours later I apply Golden Gac 200 medium, and allow it to cure for 3 days. This allows for oil paint to be applied over the metal leaf.

  • Once the metal leaf is sealed, it is FINALLY time to paint. Depending on the size and complexity of a piece, painting can take as little as a few days to sometimes several weeks.

  • Once the painting is completely dry a gloss archival varnish is applied to protect the painting from fading.