How did you get started doing what you do?
I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. Where it officially left the refrigerator door and into a world that I thought I could possibly occupy was when I started entering art contests in school, grocery stores… wherever I could and sometimes winning! And at the very least getting a ‘thanks for participating’ ribbon or sticker- sometimes even a pencil. Score!
How would you describe your creative style?
My style is constantly evolving but there are some general themes. Because I cull my narratives from my personal life, I code things in symbolism based in the natural world. Children are often the protagonists, giving context and perspective to the landscapes they move through.
What’s your inspiration?
I find inspiration in so many things… music, my daughter, conversations I’ve had or wished I could have.
What is art to you?
Art to me is anything that communicates and engages people to connect to an idea, an emotion, a feeling, a specific time and place.
What does your typical day look like?
I don’t have a typical day but an ideal one is one when I can spend time with my daughter, get work done in my job as a visual development artist in feature animation, get some personal creative time in and that can include anything from painting to ceramics to baking, spend time with a loved one, exercise, and lots and lots of snacking.
How long does it typically take for you to finish a piece?
Having experience as a production artist has made me a fairly fast painter. But I’m as slow as a turtle when it comes to thinking and working things out conceptually. It doesn’t help that I may paint something one day and the next day completely paint it out or paint over it. There are a few paintings that probably have 5 or 6 different versions underneath the final piece.
How do you keep motivated?
It’s hard to stay motivated sometimes and I end up checking my refrigerator every 20 minutes to see if anything new appeared since the last time I looked. But once I’m working on something that feels right, it’s effortless and time flies.
What do you want others to take away from your work?
I always prefer the stories that other people come up with when they look at my paintings. So I guess that’s what I hope someone would take away from my work- that even though it originated from something personal to me, that someone could relate to it and identify a narrative that is personal to their own life and experience.
What art supplies do you use?
Right now I’m painting a lot in acrylics and absolutely love Nova Color. It stays perfectly consistent even over years and years and it’s got the most beautiful buttery consistency. And I love that it dries matte. I also use a lot of paper in my work and am collecting pieces all the time. I also use spray paint, tape, and lots and lots of brushes that I try to take care of but is impossible sometimes.
What’s your process like?
My process has evolved from something super planned out to one that is more spontaneous. I used to not only start with a sketch, but a fully realized (albeit tiny) version of my final piece, and painting the final piece would be an execution of that early concept. But now I just start with an idea, a color field or wash and then dial it in from there. I like to start with the broad strokes (literally) and then get tighter and more specific as I go.
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