Art is a necessary outlet for me. A must. I find that I have gravitated back to graphite and charcoal pencil drawing my entire life. Whether as a final piece or a sketch for color work, a beautiful, soft pencil in my hand feels natural. I find it important, however to juggle mediums, both to stay versatile as well as to employ a bit more range in my arsenal to tackle each different subject. Be it oils, acrylics, pencil, or a simple ballpoint pen, each has its worth and unique effect. Though I often illustrate and work from my imagination, I'm equally inspired by representational art and working from life.
In sketching, I always keep a light touch dancing across the page to get a rough idea down; "the bones." Only then can darker marks help to reveal the details of what I'm drawing. This is true both for imaginative illustration as well as from life, for drawing as well as painting. I tend to jump between mediums. The challenge keeps me on my toes and feeling fresh. I always do at least 1 study for larger painting projects. I'll do a charcoal sketch familiarizing myself with the structure and values. Then I'll paint a small color study to make sure my values and hues are where I like them. Regardless of whether my piece is from my imagination or from life, each medium always reveals unforeseen beauty. I absolutely love how this process unfolds. I was born an Artist.