Artist Statement

My personal philosophy of art is based on a collection of knowledge gathered from childhood to present. The strategies I use in painting are a combination of my education, artist inspirations, and trial and error. I use the formal elements like line, color, value, and composition to create a particular mood while maintaining aesthetic qualities through out the art work. Some of my favorite artists are Charles Reid, Salvador Dali, Michelangelo, and Picasso. I kept these artists in mind as I create my work.
My works are based upon a loose representation of figurative and abstract images. I enjoy using the water color medium, for it has the uncanny ability to be manipulated in many different ways. I have learned to understand watercolor, so that I work with the medium and not against it. When I create the images, I let the water take control of the paint. My brush is to merely guide the medium slowly and loosely to its final destination. I also incorporate acrylic and fluid acrylic paints to achieve a brighter and thicker look when the need is called for. Using multiple layers of an acrylic wash gives my paintings a fresh watercolor appearance with a more opaque, yet translucent quality. I like the challenge of mixing colors, such as reds, greens, blues, and oranges, to create new flesh tones. Choosing the right color to depict the mood is imperative to a successful painting. My style is not new, but is an extension of how I perceive the world.
I feel my work is intended for people that embrace the human figure and have an open mind about society, life, and art. I show my work to further my career as a fine artist and to share my artistic views with others. Edward Degas best described my views when he said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”