Welcome to AllArtWorks Featured Artist Series!
1. What other profession is similar to being an artist and why?
A writer. Because you create something out of nothing. We have a blank canvas, they a blank page. We have colors to convey an image, feeling, emotion and provoke a response from the viewer. Writers do the same with a story.
2. What’s the nicest thing you can remember someone said about your work, or an individual piece?
When someone says, “This is my favorite!” and then they proceed to explain the connection they have to the piece. It has even happened when I'm in the middle of a piece. I’ve had people bid on pieces not even 50% done. They have such a strong connection to the piece in its early stage. It is just amazing to me. I love it.
3. What’s one thing you’d like everyone to know about you as an artist?
I don’t use black paint. I love colors. Black is the absence of color. I’ve used black twice. For "Une Etude du Noir" and "Une Etude du Blanc." It was a poke at a couple I know who everything in their house is white, black or a shade of gray. All my other paintings would clash in their home. My paintings are not dark, in subject or color. I like bold, loud colors. I feel they stimulate your imagination. I want people who view my art to dream in 4k color, three dimensions and surround sound.
4. What was the last piece of art that you saw that blew you away?
Two items… Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. Absolutely took my breath away. Made me want to be a more creative artist. And a Chihuly exhibit at the VMFA. The colors are just so brilliant and the nature of the fragile glass just stunned me. Brought tears to my eyes to watch people's reaction to all the colors.
5. What’s something you haven’t done but you want to do in art/painting?
I would love for a museum to buy one of my works. Pretty sure I am not there yet… but I’ll do what I can to get there.
I love Ingres treatment of women in his paintings. I love to paint women and feel his curves and poses are amazing. They have influenced my work. I have a series of Femme paintings and would love to put one or two of them side by side with The Valpincon Bather, The Source or Grande Odalisque…. What a show that would make.
*The reason we ask about Delacroix and Ingres is because they were contemporaries with wildly different styles!