When Autumn Changes the Light, Pier Cove
Oil on vellum paper, 14 X 11, 2026

When Autumn Changes the Light, Pier Cove captures that subtle moment in southwestern Michigan when summer begins to give way to fall and the quality of the light itself seems to change. Cool blues and greens remain in the lake and sky, while warmer ochres, rusts, and golds begin to appear in the trees, creating a sense of transition throughout the landscape.

The painting also reflects my continuing exploration of a Fauvist approach to landscape—using heightened color and expressive brushwork to convey the emotional experience of being present at that moment and at that place. I have been especially influenced by the outstanding classes of Michigan artist and kind-of retired art professor David Baker, who has the rare talent of helping students paint better like they want to paint.