STATEMENT

Drawn to visual creation from a young age, I was always the child who would opt to create the diorama in a shoe box rather than the written book report. I have been drawing for as long as I can remember and I feel that drawing gets to the core of a visual situation providing the truth behind that which you see.

While I have always been attracted to old daguerrotypes, and tinted photographs my preferred form of expression had been through black and white drawing. However as a printmaking major at RISD I stumbled upon mono-printing and was able to marry my love of drawing with that of old tintypes by printing with sepiatone inks.

I came at painting through the back door as I didn't work in 4-color until I was hired as a staff illustrator for a news magazine and the publication called for full color illustrations. To this day, even when working on what will ultimately become a four color piece, I always begin with a black and white drawing. I will then seal the drawing and apply a sepia tone wash which will be removed by use of a technique known as 'maniere noire', whereby one works from dark to light while constantly reinforcing the underlying drawing. Once my sepia-tone 'underpainting' is sealed I then proceed with my oils which I apply rather transparently, again allowing the bones of my original rendering to shine through.

I love what I do and feel tremendously grateful that this passion of mine brings pleasure to others. There is nothing more gratifying than the look on a clients face when I have provided them with a piece of artwork that moves them.