Artist Statement/Bio

I don’t know why I have this all encompassing desire to paint wildlife….to be a wildlife artist…. perhaps I will never know, but when I am painting, then nothing else exists. I am right back at the scene where I first saw my subject. Back with the lions of the dry savannah of Savuti and the elephants in the lush vegetation of the Okavango Delta…… It’s almost as if time stands still as I relive my memories through painting…. I strive to paint wildlife as accurately as I can, so where possible I like to see the animals in their natural environment, and this has, of course, lead to some very exciting journeys and experiences.

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?

A: I work in oils – but I use the fast drying kind – Alkyd Oils.

Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?

A: I’ve been painting seriously about 12 years. My love of animals has been there for as long as I can remember, along with my desire to draw and paint, so looking back it now seems inevitable that I would become a Professional wildlife artist.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: I am a self taught artist, I never really got on with the regimented way people tried to teach me art in school, I guess I always wanted to do things my way, even way beack then – ha…

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A: Alkyd oil really opened a door for me, they allowed me to work much quicker between painting sessions than when I used standard oils.

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: I am a realistic painter and I fend that more often than not I am attracted to painting African wildlife, I just find them so interesting, Africa truly is where the animals seem larger than life.

Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: I struggled through the 1st few years of learning to paint, as I found most books and videos missed out the very things I wanted / needed to learn, so over the years I have now written my own tutorial ebooks to help other would be artists.

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?

A: Nature inspires me but also light, whether dramatic or subtle. There is an endless array of inspiration in Africa alone.

Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?

A: I have always loved the drama seen in the artwork of John Banovich, he also does incredible work for conservation too. So him and a few others like Daniel Smith have been my main influences.

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share? I actually have two.

A: My main tutorial one is:
www.jasonmorgan.co.uk

and my gallery one is:
www.onlineartdemos.co.uk

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: For oil painting beginners I would say this – the secret of creating a good oil painting is not in finding and using special brushes and equipment. All too often beginners get caught up thinking they must buy a special brush etc, but that is rubbish, good artists could use a stick and do a great painting. The real secret is in just a few simple techniques and then practising them over and over.

Artist Statement

“How dull might the world be without clouds and mountains and trees? How utterly drab without people, animals, lakes and streams? And how lifeless the walls that surround us without paintings of such things to take their places when we can’t immediately go and see them?

“I am compelled to paint such things; inspiring things that evoke memories or spark the imagination keeping the insipid well at bay…

“I have been drawing and painting since my early childhood. My family has always been supportive of my art so I was encouraged to draw and paint growing up. One of my favorite things that I was privileged to do was to go to painting lessons once a week after school. I was also privileged to grow up in one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in the world – the Reno-Tahoe area. I grew up out in the sticks and I think that has had a definite influence on the subject matter I most often choose to paint – Sierra landscapes.

“Each painting I do is an extension of myself. There is something nagging at me on the inside that just has to come out and be put down on the canvas – something that’s more than you could photograph, more than you could even manipulate digitally. If I can’t paint I get antsy.

“Painting is an amazing thing. A good painting has the ability to arrest a viewer’s attention and hold it for a while. Like a good book, a good painting can transport you elsewhere. I try to make each painting dramatic, not the cheesy kind of dramatic, but the awe inspiring dramatic that makes you want to stop and look twice. I try to make my landscapes somewhere you want to be.

“Each painting is also a growth piece; I’m continually striving and attempting to grow. Where I want to be as a painter always seems to be ten paces ahead of where I currently am. I suspect it will be like this ‘til I’m too old to hold a brush. At different phases of my life, I’ve allowed painting to be put on the back burner. I’ve resolved to not let this happen again. I paint most every day. Life for me is better that way.

“More of my artwork and contact information is on my website, http://www.mikecallahanrt.com”

Mike Callahan – Artist’s Bio

Mike Callahan lives near Reno, Nevada. He paints subjects ranging from North American wildlife, Western themes, Sierra landscapes and classical portraiture. He paints in oil on canvas using a limited palette of three colors plus white.

Regarding his landscapes, Mike says, “I’m exceedingly blessed to have had a childhood of adventure growing up in the spectacular playground of the Sierras. I drew and painted early-on and found great joy in drawing and painting the marvelous landscape with which I was so enamored and seeing my passion spread to others as their eyes drank up the images I put down on paper and canvas.”

Of his portraits, he notes, “I paint portraits classically, usually in single source lighting, oil on linen. I endeavor to capture the essence of the person in a way that can only be done in paint. People fascinate me and I strive to transfer that fascination onto the canvas preserving it for generations to enjoy.”

Mike also currently holds a day job as Technical Graphics Trainer responsible for the training and development of staff graphic artists as well as the innovation, development and implementation of new production techniques utilizing Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

To see Mike’s work in-depth, find out about current exhibitions and to gain a fuller glimpse into this artist’s life, please visit his website at http://www.mikecallahanart.com.

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?

A: Oil Paints

Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?

A: I’m not really sure how to answer this question. I mean, on the one hand, I think I’ve been an artist since I can remember being able to make a mark. My earliest memories of actually creating something others would spend time looking at are drawings done at my grandmother’s kitchen table. She and my mother were my earliest fans and encouragers. When I was about 12, my mother sent me to weekly painting lessons where I learned the most elementary of principles of painting, but mostly learned to be unintimidated by oils. I never took any art classes in High School as I was a bit cocky and felt I was probably above that somehow.

After High School, I went to a small time technical school to study commercial art, but after six months in the program, the school kind of started to fall apart and at the same time lost a brother tragically. This was in the early eighties. Faced with fairly dire circumstanced for me at the time, my young wife and I moved back to Reno and in a short time started a family. Being totally unprepared by my inadequate schooling, I eventually backed by way into the graphics industry by working in the sign and screen printing field.

That eventually led to my job with a large gaming company which eventually went from manual art and prep to digital. I started using Photoshop at version 2.0. During those years however, I still would create at least one oil painting a year. In 2002, I was commissioned to create a painting for use on a poster promoting the Great Reno Balloon Races and it was then that I decided I wanted nothing more than to paint all the time. It was shortly after that that I started painting nearly every day, which I still am doing.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: I have very little formal training. After the program at the technical school fell apart, I was able to study one on one with one of my instructors from the school, but only for a couple of months. The techniques we were using then were far removed from what I do today (though I suppose I learned some general principles about values, drawing, etc.) I attribute most of what I do today to my own study of the medium and the works of other great artists. I also from time to time try to read anything that artists I admire write or say in interviews about their techniques or insights they might have.

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A: I do, but my supplies are minimal. I use only four colors of M. Graham Oils. They are, Titanium White, Quinacridone Rose, Hansa Yellow, and Pthalocyanine Blue. I use M. Graham Walnut Oil and a little Weber Turpenoid and that’s pretty much it. For brushes, I use  Winsor & Newton and Connoisseur synthetics ( I really love those as far as synthetics go!) As far as plein air, I recently bought an EasyL box with the sturdy tripod they sell and really like it so far!

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: I guess one could consider my style, for the most part, traditional realism. I paint mostly landscapes, but enjoy figurative and portraits once in a while. I like to work the figure into the landscape and Western theme paintings lend themselves to this as well as allowing me to paint a few animals from time to time.

Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: Craig Nelson has a good book, “60 Minutes to Better Painting” that I would recommend. If you can get a copy, I also recommend Edgar Payne’s “Composition of Outdoor Painting”. Also, pretty much any book that features the art of John Singer Seargent is good for studying what he did, but not necessarily for technique directly. I have a fair number of art books, but those are the ones that stand out in my mind at present as ones being useful to new artists…oh yeah, and lastly, my e-book which I wrote specifically for the artist, “My Approach to Painting the Landscape in Oils” available for free download on my website.

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?

A: Mostly, my inspiration comes from hiking around the Sierras with my camera. Specific times of day when the light is spectacular (usually early or late in the day) give me a lot of ideas and I usually don’t have to look to far for abundant reference.
Additionally, from time to time, I look at other artist’s work. Seeing their mastery inspires me to step my own work up a notch or two.

Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?

A: There are a lot. To mention a few who come to mind readily, John Singer Seargent, Edgar Payne, Clyde Aspevig, Scott Christensen, and Daniel Gerhartz. But there are a lot more. I have tons of artists’ sites bookmarked and usually a couple of times a week I pick a few of their sites to go through and re-acquaint myself with their work. Currently, I guess the one thing that other artists do that I find inspiring is bold and masterful brushwork.

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?

A: Yes, it’s http://www.mikecallahanart.com

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: I think the biggest struggle beginning artists face is coming to grips with the reality that painting is not easy. It takes lots and lots of brush mileage (to use Craig Nelson’s term) to be able to start producing a decent painting. There will be a lot of “bad” paintings done in the process of getting to that point. However, don’t give-in to the temptation to abandon your attempts before finishing. I have that as a strict rule for myself, finish every painting no matter what. If you abandon your work before bringing it to completion, you will never progress. You will never be able to adequately assess your shortcomings and therefore never be able to take the necessary steps to grow and overcome them if you bail out when the painting gets tough or frustrating.

Q: Anything else you would like to share about yourself?

A: I have a “day job” which doesn’t allow me as much time in the studio as I would like…additionally, though my children are grown, I still like to spend time with my family. I know too many artists who allow these same situations to keep them from ever doing much painting. I have carved out an hour and a half of every day to paint (maybe a bit more on the weekends, but sometimes not) by getting up at 4:30 am to paint. I’m a morning person, so this works for me, however, I want to encourage artists to carve out at least an hour each day (whether early morning, mid day, evening or late night) to devote to painting. If you do this, you will be amazed at how much painting you get done and how much you grow as an artist.

Artist Statement

My work fits into two very different and unrelated categories: realism and abstract. Each style allows me to challenge different parts of my personality. Drawing realistically indulges the side of me that loves detail and is a perfectionist. It challenges me technically and I am always pushing to create more accurate drawings. The abstract works reflect my interest in color and form. I am able to work loosely and fluidly, reacting to the painting as I go. It is sometimes a relief to shift from the tight discipline of realistic drawing to this type of work, but it can be equally relieving to go from these open-ended paintings to getting lost in the details of a drawing.

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?

A: I love working with traditional drawing media: graphite and charcoal. Graphite is great for tight, accurate drawing, but nothing beats charcoal for loose, gestural sketching!

For my paintings, I use mostly acrylics, but have been experimenting with oils lately as well. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. I enjoy the wonderful texture of oils and its ability to blend, but I love the immediacy of acrylics. In my paintings, I also incorporate other materials like pastels and oil sticks.

Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?

A: I’ve always been creative and interested in making things, but it wasn’t until late high school that I really developed a passion for art. A friend of mine could draw amazingly well and I wanted to be as good as she was! I taught myself how to draw with a combination of library books and websites.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: I consider myself to be both self-taught and formally trained. I taught myself the technical side of drawing, practicing shading and proportions. When I went to school, I could already draw and had also experimented some with painting. While earning my degree in Fine Arts, I learned a great deal about theory. I also learned how to push myself creatively, and stepped out of my comfort zone and into the realm of abstract art. Both my own knowledge of drawing and my training is invaluable and informs the work I do today.

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A: One art supply that I really enjoy is willow charcoal. It’s a much softer charcoal with a velvety smooth texture. It won’t go as dark as other charcoal, or even graphite, but it’s lovely to work with and produces some great drawings.

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: I work in two very different styles with very different subject matter! I do realistic drawings and I do abstract paintings featuring geometric shapes. For me, each of these is a necessary form of expression. They are related and exist together, but like two sides of the same coin, you’ll never see them both at the same time.

I started my art practice with realistic drawing. This indulges the side of my personality that craves order and predictability. I love the technical challenge of creating a believable, realistic image.

At school, I broke away from the representational image to focus on my obsession with color, form, and space. I find that I can express these ideas better without the contextual meaning an image would bring to my work.

Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: When I first became interested in drawing, and obsessed with drawing portraits, the best books I found were those by Lee Hammond. She does several books about drawing realistic portraits that break the process into easy to manage chunks. Her illustrations clearly demonstrate the ideas she is trying to get across. My drawings hugely improved after reading these books!

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?

A: My inspiration could come from something as simple as an interesting image or a color combination. I’m constantly driven to create, and experiment, and find new or better ways to express my ideas. Often, when I complete a piece, something within it will suggest a new idea. It could be something that I struggled with, or something that happened by accident, but it provides a new direction for the next piece.

Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?

A: Lee Hammond’s work was a big influence on me when I was starting out because of her incredible skill with the pencil.

Artists that influence my abstract work are Abstract Expressionists like Rothko and Newman, as well as Mondrian. I am drawn to their bold use of color and the way they don’t make any excuses for their picture planes. Their work is paint on canvas, nothing more.

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?

A: Because I consider my art to be quite separate, I have a website for each. My online gallery is at www.mirandaaschenbrenner.com and features my abstract paintings. My portrait work can be found at www.customportraitsonline.com.

I also have a blog at www.learntoart.com where I regularly post art lessons and tips.

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: My advice to artists is to get comfortable with themselves and accept their artwork as it is. Don’t feel pressure to paint or draw in a certain way! For a long time, I felt like I should have to choose between my realistic work and my abstract work. I’ve now come to embrace both, realizing that each one challenges me in a different way.

Do the type of art that you’re drawn to, but never stop pushing yourself to try new things!

Artist Statement

The focus of my work is synonymously related to nature and landscape. It is an investigation of nature, its forms, its sublimate captivation and the paradigm of how we align our position, perceptions and reactions to them.

Predominantly my subjects derive from arboreal environments, which I record with photography, sketch making, and through the internalisation of personal experience. Hence, when we find ourselves in an environment where the realisation of aloneness becomes internalised, there can be various responses. Angst, vulnerability, fear, adrenaline, but paradoxically, these feelings can also be interpreted as vision, freedom, liberation, and excitement. They can be either comforting or discomforting and this to me is a reflection of our individuality…

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?

A: Currently I am working with various mediums which include but are not limited to: ink, PVA, oil paint, digital imagery on paper, on canvas.

I feel that restricting oneself to a single particular medium denies the artist a degree of creativity which cannot exist without the unpredictable nature of mixing mediums. It is at those times when the medium seems to take over that the artists sense of loosing control is in fact the artist at the height of his creativity.

Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?

A: My first response to your question is; always. I think that everyone in their early life is an artist, but only a few of these artists learn how to continue being an artist. For me, I knew that I was an artist during my school years and enrolled on as many arts related classes as possible. I finished school at the age of sixteen in 1984, but was discouraged from pursuing a career in art. I became distracted by money and work and became an electronics engineer.

After about six years I felt empty and tired. I tried to fill this emptiness by enrolling on an evening course for advanced level fine art painting in 1990. This helped me but financial commitments meant that I had to continue working in electronics. Another eight years later and I had had enough. I became too disenchanted to continue in electronics.
I knew then that I must explore my potential as an artist, and so 1998 was a turning point in becoming the artist that I am now.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: My formal training, I suppose, really began in senior school with ‘O’ level Fine Art, Technical Drawing, and Craft Design Technology. As previously mentioned I then later earned an ‘A’ Level in Fine Art Painting on an evening course at college, this is where I was introduced to oil paint.

After my ‘A’ level, any advancement of my knowledge was self taught. I read books but mostly I just experimented with oil paint by trial and error. I soon learned that it is the errors or mistakes that one makes which ultimately advances ones skill. I might have been happy to continue self educating myself, but the reality of the modern art market is that qualifications count when it comes to finding representation in high profile galleries. Some artists manage to carve out an arena of critical debate around their work from being self taught, but in most cases a Degree is beneficial or even essential too an artists career, and so I began my Bachelors Degree with honours in fine art painting and drawing at the University of Northampton in the UK. I am entering my final year and graduate in 2010. I plan on continuing my studies to go on and earn a Masters Degree the following year.

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A: My painting is at times heavily impasto, and because of this I was studying Frank Auerbach whose painting is perhaps the most extreme form of impasto I know of. I was watching a DVD of Auerbach called ‘In the Studio’, and in one scene I spotted large tins of paint on his studio floor, I could not make out the brand but could see there were drops of colour on a white tin. I wanted to discover what paint Auerbach was using. After extensive googling I eventually found out. The brand is ‘R J Stokes’. . After having found the website, there was a statement about the paint by artist Edward Beale which confirmed that I had to buy the paint. It comes in 5 litre cans, an artists dream; I would recommend this paint to anyone who uses impasto in their painting.

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: I am not very keen on the use of the word style when it comes to painting. I would rather associate my work to a movement. It is not that I develop my work to become related to any particular movement; it is more a case of my developing work can be associated to our knowledge of these movements. I think it becomes a natural tendency for my paintings too navigate in a loosely synchronised manner, too the artist or artists I am studying at any given time. The Artists I am most deeply involved in studying right now are, John Constable, Joseph Mallord William Turner, Caspar David Friedrich, Mark Rothko, Gerhard Richter, and Ian McKeever. All these artists have been associated with Romanticism and so by default my work is specific to the ‘style’ or movement of Romanticism and perhaps more specifically The Northern Romantic Tradition’.

As for subject matter, at first glance it might appear from my work that I am working with trees, or more loosely nature. Whilst this is true, I am also very conscious of the investigation of space and time related to nature, how we position ourselves within nature, and how this in turn relates us to the universe. So in a sense my subject matter might be described as an investigation of the sublime. I cannot really conclude this answer as I am deeply involved in my studies in order to understand my subject matter.

Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: I could tell you some of the books I have read, but these books might not be helpful to other artists. Books are an important resource of course and videos too, but my biggest recommendation would have to be, go and see paintings in a gallery or museum. It is just not possible to fully appreciate a work of art in a book reproduction. Go to the museum, and those works which capture your attention the most, read books about those artists. In this way you will soon find genuine influences too your own work.

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?

A: The source of my ideas is from raising questions as to what I am trying to achieve. My ideas are generated almost from the experience of creating the previous painting. Each painting I do either moves closer or further away from what I am aiming to understand.

I am trying to get to the heart of what Romanticism in painting is. The natural world is a great source of mystery, or at least it has been until recent scientific discovery makes our understanding of nature less mysterious. Artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries saw this awe of nature in landscape and seascape, in the moon, stars and sun. Contemporary artists also can make the connection between the sublime and nature, but I think now that our understanding of the universe is greater than ever before, the source of the sublime must lay in our own personal experience of the universe around us. To me the source of the sublime lay at a point which I call the psychophysical horizon. This is the point at which the physical world transcends into our unconscious.

Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?

A: Yes, besides the ones I mentioned earlier, I also consider Peter Doig, Vincent Van Gogh and Michael porter to have an influence on my work. Peter Doig’s painting is all about the memory of places, I admire the effects he achieves with oil paint and also the scale at which he works, I was lucky enough to see a retrospective of his work at Tate Britain in London earlier this year. Vincent Van Gogh I admire because of his stubborn attitude to painting which, while keeping him from being identified as a master painter during his life time, ultimately proved to be ingenious and to my mind marks him as one of the true master artists of the 19th century. Michael Porter now lives and works in Cornwall. In the early stages of my degree, I studied his work as it was very close to what I was aiming to achieve. I learnt many techniques from watching him work in his studio. I might have to say that Michael Porter is perhaps the artist I have mostly been influenced by.

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?

A: Yes, my website is http://www.david-hunt.net This website is intended to show some of my most recent work and while I concentrate mainly on painting, I also show some examples of my drawing, photographic and digital practices. If there is anyone interested in purchasing my work in order to help me raise financing for my Masters Degree, or if you have any inquiries regarding my work, please e-mail me at art@david-hunt.net

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: Firstly enjoy what you do, this seems obvious enough but I think the thing is not to get too comfortable with what you create, I think that to be at your very best creatively, you really need to step out of your comfort zone once in a while, don’t be concerned with making mistakes as these are often responsible for the most interesting work of any artist.

About Sandy Sandy

Since 1996, Sandy Sandy has been a professional fine artist and has devoted her career to painting full time. After a divorce, she left behind a thriving advertising, illustration and sign company which she owned and operated for seventeen years. Sandy currently works in her spacious art studio from her NJ Pine Barrens home. Here she is inspired by the wildlife that visits her yard daily. A strong connection with animals and nature is evident in her choice of subjects. Her philosophy of “spirit” is woven into her work, where thousands of watercolors have given way to her flowing expressionist style.

Collectors of Sandy’s original paintings can be found throughout Canada and the US. Commissions are always welcomed to create specific works for individuals and organizations such as The NJ Symphony Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration from Moore College of Art and Design and attended The Art Institute in Philadelphia. Having studied watercolor with many nationally known watercolor masters including those from the E.A.Whitney, Brandywine and New Hope Schools has given her roots that are strong in the American Art Tradition. Sandy currently provides uplifting, motivational and instructional content in her various free online communities. She also is available for speaking engagements, demonstrations, workshops and classes.

Sandy’s Website: http://www.sandysandy.com/

THE INTERVIEW

Q: What medium or mediums do you work with?

A: With over over 4,000 watercolors, 200 oils and 100 or so acrylics under my belt, I guess you’d have to say that watercolor is my main medium. Recently, I’ve been doing small animal portraits in oils for the Art For Shelter Animals project. I really love the “forgiveness factor” of oils. To me, they are much easier to produce than my watercolors. I work wet-in-wet in watercolor and even after so many paintings, they not always keepers. That’s just the nature of the beast. I must work fast. My timing and technique must be spot on. There is very little room for mistakes. It’s easier to just start over than try to fix most mishaps. Unsuccessful pieces are usually a valuable learning experience, so I don’t sweat it if they don’t turn out as well as I would like. I just redo it! Repetition is the key to mastery!

Q: How long have you been an artist? How did you get started?

A: Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved to draw and create. Even before kindergarten, my mother always kept my sister, Denise Bush, and I busy drawing, coloring and making collages. This gave me an advantage over my classmates in arts and crafts. My work was commonly singled out and admired. I don’t believe in talent, but I do believe in aptitude and desire. I have always had an intense interest in art and a very strong desire to work hard and refine my skills.

Q: Do you have any formal training or are you self taught?

A: I am a graduate of Moore College of Art and Design with a BFA in illustration. I also attended the Philadelphia Art Institute and community college after graduation to learn computer graphics programs. Over the past fifteen years, I have participated in watercolor workshops given by some of our most accomplished contemporary North American Watercolorists who paint in the Edgar Whitney style. I’m big on self-help books and videos too, but I don’t stray too far from my established style and technique anymore.

Q: Do you have any favorite art supplies that you would like to recommend?

A: Frank Webb once called me a gadgeteer, but as time goes on, I realize it’s not the supplies or materials that makes the art what it is, as much as it is the person who is using those materials. In art, as in may other aspects of life, less is often more. I have been using Arches 140lb cold press paper for many years.I use the loose sheets (22″ x 30″) and wet both sides in my painting technique. You can see a pictures and descriptions of my palette, paints and brushes here.

Q: Do you work with any specific styles or subject matter?

A: Yes, I think all established artists work primarily in a certain style and subject range, be it narrow or varied. I tend to work in a loosely / tight, stylized, expressionistic manor rather than a tight representational one. I don’t see the sense of spending 140 hours on a piece so you can make it look like a photograph. Why not just take a photo and manipulate it on the computer? An artist’s style cannot be bought, borrowed or stolen from someone else. It must come from within and can’t be
rushed. A person’s manner of painting only evolves after many attempts of sight, insight and just “DOING IT”. As Frank Webb said,”It takes many years and acres of paper to become a painter”.

Q: Can you recommend any books videos or other resources that will help new artists?

A: Because I believe learning to draw before you can learn to paint, is paramount, I continue to draw constantly and have been posting a new study daily on Sketching Everyday and Drawing Everyday during the summer for four years now. My favorite book on drawing, which I think every artist should own is “Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain” by Betty Edwards. The book that helped me the most with my wet-in-wet watercolor technique is Tony Couch’s book, “Watercolor, You Can Do It”!

You can see more books from my watercolor library here and here.

Q: How do you get ideas to create a piece? What inspires you?

A: My emotions about nature and animals get me excited and inspire me. I think that a work of art is more about how it makes you feel than what it looks like. I try to draw the viewer in by offering a different perspective and leaving out some of the details so that they can complete the story. I love symbolism and the universal language of like minds that it connects. The design principles and elements of value, contrast, hues, patterns, shapes, directions, dominance, repetition, variation and composition all comes into play, mentally and physically. In my art, my ultimate goal is to express some of life’s highest moments and hopefully, even if only occasionally, convey feelings for which there are no words.

Q: Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?

A: My high school art teacher, Dorothy Ponciello, influenced me with a serious and in-depth study and appreciation of art history. I feel fortunate to have gotten such a great base of knowledge early on. Dorothy was also the first “eccentric artist” I ever met. Among other things, she tried to make us cultured and served us grape juice and cookies on special occasions which we pretended was wine and hors d’oeuvres.

In college, the instructor that had the most impact on me was New Hope / Brandywine watercolorist, Ranulph Bye . I took instruction from him throughout my college years. I studied watercolor independantly with Mr. Bye one whole year, which ended up being weekly private lessons, often en plein air. You can see some of Ranulph’s work here. While at Moore College of Art, I had three years of illustration classes with well-known children’s book illustrator, Beth Krush, so I’m sure her influence is in me too.

My most profound influence however, has to be Edgar Whitney. I call myself 3rd generation Whitney. He was a a brilliant artist,writer and watercolor instructor. His Eight Principles Of Design revolutionized my approach to painting and design. Discovering him led me to all the other mentors and instructors I have studied with over the past fifteen years. See more about my mentors here .

Q: Do you have a website you would like to share?

A: Like Frank Webb said, “Being involved in art is like being involved in a grand inquiry”. I’m a very curious person, so I often find myself going to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can use and edit. I also love Wikimedia Commons , a database of 4,597,834 freely usable public domain media files to which anyone can contribute. I find continual inspiration from Robert Genn’s Painter’s Keys. I have been a subscriber to Bob’s twice-weekly newsletter for almost ten years.

Q: Finally do you have any last words of advice for beginner artists?

A: Keep your brushes wet! There are no short cuts. The only way to get better and find your unique voice, is to do the work. I often say, if someone has average aptitude with a passion for exploration, improvement and growth, they will quickly surpass the individual with lots of “talent”, but a weaker desire. It’s not easy being an artist. One can become disheartened by slow growth, however with strong determined focus and practice, I believe anything is possible.