My Inspiration
My inspiration comes from all around us. All of what I have seen, explored and become. My art is built upon a lifetime of experiences, adventures, observations and feelings. Each mark I make carries all of my heart and soul. It carries the energy and expression that surrounds and manifests in all things.
Experiencing the wild
Waking up to howler monkeys singing through the jungle canopy of Costa Rica. Swimming with sea turtles in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Watching a black bear feast on berries while enjoying my morning coffee from the window of me Western NC mountain home. A simple walk in the forest to the feeling of sand between my toes on a sun soaked beach. I watched fish swim through a creek in the deserts of Death Valley. I've seen the night sky ignite with the light of a thousand galaxies in Joshua Tree. Stood in awe of the giant sequoia trees, basked in the glory of the red rocks and fell in love with the majestic bison on the plains of Yellowstone. Each experience deepening the connection I have with nature, myself and my art. Adding purpose to the mark I make, more richness to the color I choose and more joy to what I create.
My Process
It all starts with the surface. I use a heavy sanded pastel paper designed to grip and hold the soft pastel. The paper comes on a giant roll, as big as me (now I know what you're thinking. I may be vertically challenged but still. A roll as tall as me!) First we mount the paper to board. This has three main advantages, it gives me a very firm surface to work on. Second, it prevents the paper from warping, wrinkling and bending over time, and finally it adds stability and structural support for framing these large works under glass.
The final touches
Once the painting is complete, it is sprayed with a non-toxic, all natural casein based recipe used by Degas. It’s the only formula I have found to keep my colors exactly as I painted them. Several layers of a light mist are applied over the course of an hour or so, giving proper time for each layer to completely dry before applying the next. After several layers of fixative the pastel is set and ready to be framed. Back to the frame shop it goes to be finished in a soft gold frame. A spacer is placed between the painting and the anti-reflective art glass to preserve all the texture and archival qualities of the soft pastel medium. Thanks to the pure pigments of the pastels each work of art will be forever as vibrant as the day it was brought home.
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Galleries & Shows
ART SANTA FE — SANTA FE, NM — JULY, 2023
SOUTHEASTERN WILDLIFE EXPO (SEWE) — CHARLESTON, SC — FEB, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023
WHITESIDE ART GALLERY – CASHIERS, NC – JUNE, 2021 – CURRENT
LUCY CLARK GALLERY – BREVARD, NC – FEB, 2021 – Aug, 2022
EXHIBIT — 4 CORNERS GALLERY AT THE TUCSON DESERT ART MUSEUM — TUCSON, AZ — NOV — Dec 2018
EXHIBIT — DANVILLE ART GALLERY — DANVILLE, CA — JAN — FEB, 2018
PANDO FINE ART - PARK CITY, UT – FEB, 2017 – JUNE, 2020
SEWE — LIVE PAINTING AND AUCTION — CHARLESTON, SC — FEB, 2017
EXHIBIT — 4 CORNERS GALLERY AT THE TUCSON DESERT ART MUSEUM — TUCSON, AZ — NOV — DEC, 2016
EXHIBIT — GALLERY 43 — ROSWELL, GA — NOV, 2016 - MAR, 2017
EXHIBIT — GALLERY AT FLAT ROCK — FLAT ROCK, NC — JULY — SEPT, 2016
ART SPARK — LIVE PAINTING AND AUCTION— BREVARD, NC — AUGUST, 2016
RED WOLF GALLERY — BREVARD, NC — MAY, 2016 — JAN, 2021
SOLO EXHIBIT — 44 MAIN GALLERY — BREVARD, NC — APRIL - MAY, 2016
PIGMENTS OF THE IMAGINATION — TC ARTS — BREVARD, NC — MARCH — APRIL, 2016
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Publications and Accolades
INTERNATIONAL ARTIST MAGAZINE — FEB/MARCH ISSUE 149 2023
SEWE 2023 EVENT GUIDE - FEB 2023
FINE ART CONNOISSEUR — JAN/FEB, 2017, 2018, 2022
PASTEL SOCIETY of AMERICA — JURIED MEMBER,
THE LAUREL OF ASHEVILLE — OCT, 2018 - APRIL, 2021 - OCT, 2021
SEWE ART BOOK — 2017, 2018
WESTERN ART COLLECTOR — FEB, 2017
SOUTHWEST ART — JAN, 2017
THE LAUREL OF ASHEVILLE — COVER ARTIST — OCTOBER, 2016
BOLD LIFE — MAR, 2016 - JULY 2016 - AUG, 2016 - APRIL, 2022
B.F.A — SAVANNAH COLLEGE of ART and DESIGN — 2006
