ABOUT
about the artist
Art has always been an extension of who I am. I began taking extracurricular art classes around the age of 12. I took any class that I could, including pottery and photography, but graphite has always been my medium of choice. I've always appreciated the simplicity of pencil and paper. By high school, my confidence with graphite had matured and I began focusing the majority of my energy on figure drawing. Taking anatomy classes and additional art classes helped strengthen my ability to represent the human form.
Since 2002, I have been experimenting with a more free form style. Portraiture has remained my focus, but I began experimenting with simpler, less detailed means of portraying emotion. I enjoy creating subtle nuances in each subject using simple brush strokes and slight value changes. My paintings are a homogenous mix of various mediums including (but not limited to) gesso, ink, acrylic, watercolor, pencil and charcoal. I tend to choose subjects that appear to be caught in a very personal moment. That moment may be one of intense emotion or quiet contemplation.
The drip effect in many of my mixed media paintings came about purely by accident. The effect was interesting and I began letting the paint be paint as opposed to trying to control it. As i created more "drip" paintings, I realized that the paint itself lends something very individual to each painting. It adds a depth that I would not be able to acheive if I tried to control it. Painting in this way makes me feel as though I am working cooperatively
with
the paint instead of trying to make it conform to what I want it to do.
In my comissioned portraits done in oil on canvas, I attempt to capture the subtle highlights, complexion changes, and expressive eyes that come together to create a realistic image.
All graphite drawings are done in 0.5mm mechanical pencil. Mechanical pencil creates a very fine line and can be controlled easily when shading.
Bio
