My practice begins with the story behind a photo and the attraction I feel toward it. I love hearing about the circumstances in which it was taken and the feelings experienced by the photographer. I visualize the images on the canvas: the season, the color palette, the subject matter.
I begin with a loose pencil sketch putting in my shapes and perspective. I then do a black India ink sketch, becoming more committed to my vision. The black helps define my angles and shapes more clearly as well as give depth to certain areas.
More fun and play happen once the ink is drying and I begin to make my color palette. I work with oil paints mixing them all ahead of time. I do not use any mediums or gels. I love the feel of mixing oils, as they are so pure and vibrant and it feels like icing a cake. On occasion I will do an acrylic backwash on the canvas to convey a three dimensional effect.
The play of colors is by far my favorite part. I listen to music, have my eucalyptus and lavender oils infusing, and off I go diving into my canvas. My technique is that of large bold brush strokes using color to give shape, dimension, and highlight. I rarely blend, as I prefer to paint with intent. I put the exact color where I want it to be and leave it there. This helps keep the color pure and vibrant. I typically use one flat brush for my whole painting and I begin with my subject matter. I focus on one painting at a time as I like to paint wet-on-wet. After six to eight weeks, I apply a final layer of varnish to seal off the paint.
