Behind the Work

My work focuses predominately on the sky and water elements of nature because they exude strength and changeability. Exploring the moods of the ocean and waiting for a perfect sunset or brutal storm brings me a sense of peace. Brief moments in time where the pressure and anxiety of everyday conflicts aren’t pressing down. Too often, people get caught up in responsibility and begin taking nature for granted. They forget to stop once in a while and enjoy the beauty.

My photographs give others a chance to stop, breathe, and steal a peaceful moment for themselves wherever they happen to be. I enjoy exploring different angles and manipulating the play of color and light to influence emotional effects. I took Sky of Fire, one of my favorite sunset photographs, in a park I walk through weekly. However, the drama and strength of the colors make it an unbeatable experience. Also, varying exposure times allows for creative expression of movement, which can be incredibly helpful in steering the overall mood of an image. Significantly slowing exposure in my piece River Flows brings a calmer and more centered feel.

Acrylic abstract expressionism is another way to share, or purge emotion. A study of controlled chaos with an endless combination of colors and textures. For me, it’s pure emotion on a canvas, and there is no way to know exactly how any piece will end up until it is finished. The process combines the art of color theory with the science of calculating density and viscosity as I mix my pouring mediums, pigments, paints and inks. Making it almost as much chemistry as it is art. Judging the colors and densities is vital to ensure that they react and interreact with each other the way they need to for a successful piece. After everything is ready, I carefully layer the colors onto a canvas. Then working with a variety of tools, forced air, gravity or centrifugal force my designs come to life. It’s an amazingly liberating experience.

Photography and acrylic painting are two mediums that at a glance might seem to be opposites. Photographs are smooth, sleek creations, and modern techniques rely heavily on technology. Conversely, Acrylics are messy, textured and still very much a hands-on art. However, both rely on color, light, and expression to translate two-dimensional images into a meaningful visual experience that reaches the viewer on an emotional level.