Artist Statement

I draw and paint to relax, documenting what I see when I study the figure. I hope to engender the viewer with an interest to see more resolution with minimal detail.

In mapping the journey of the landscape of the human figure, I utilize the music in the studio to generate a rhythm. The charcoal takes a path and begins to carve out an image on the surface of the paper. I start with the sweep of the gesture or the compactness of the pose and place hints of plane changes. I hold three to four different types of charcoal in my left hand as well as a drawing erasure, frequently alternating between these tools.

I prefer to work fast, reacting to first impressions. It requires me to quickly capture as much of the pose and environment. I want the figure to be grounded and try to avoid too much detail. I attempt to find the right balance between too little and not enough. It is this struggle and the hours of drawing that most satisfy me.

In painting it is all of this plus saturated color and the odor of turpentine. It's like the rich aroma of a fresh cup of French pressed coffee.