I still recall a pivotal moment in time when I first realized my desire to paint and draw the infinite themes of nature. while growing up in Southern California I was on a trip with my parents and siblings in the middle of a Zion National Park. The quietness and beauty of the surrounding area had a tremendous influence upon me.

When working with the various media my three favorites are watercolors, water based oil paints, and pastels. When I work with watercolors I love how working wet into wet always creates a new and uncontrollable facet of my work. Although I usually start out with a sketch, using this media always throws those curves that are awesome. My favorite two papers are Arches and Fabriano. I know some poeple like to lay heavy color on to the paper. I prefer to lay color on in light layers. Over a course of time building with almost water tinted with color.

As I mentioned I usually start a piece with a detailed sketch and my favorite thing is to use conte or graphite. Many time when I am working a piece it sometimes seems that I can actually see a little bit more of the picture than when I originally drew it to be. In many cases the media for me helps determine what the final work will be. My original thoughts tend to lean more toward the textures and shapes.In watercolors I also tend to work backwards. I sometimes prefer to lay in the darkest values first and then followup with the light. I have also on occassion worked from both ends.

Oil and pastels (both oil and soft) on the other hand seem to allow me the most freedom in the sense that I tend to keep the brush moving even though I don't always know why. I prefer to paint my value pieces on masonite with layers of sanded gesso. I really like a smooth surface which lets me move the paint easily anywhere I want. I also notice that in oil painting I can really create more textural looks than I can in my watercolors.I have a very eclectic mix of oils ranging from Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Windsor & Newton, and my home made experiements mixing pastel dust with different kinds of oils.

I have always loved nature. The best exhilaration for me is the freedom I feel when I am surrounded by it. To try to capture it all seems like a pursuit in vain. So I guess I try to take one tiny morsel at a time, capturing a hint of light or color here and a fleck of texture there. The awesome part of it is that because you miss so much the first time around that each time you go back you will find another gem. I hope that in my finished work people can feel the sense of peace and heaven that I get when I first saw it.