As an artist whose work has been described as surrealism, hyperrealism, and photo realism, I have developed various techniques over the years that I believe make my oil paintings on canvas stand out from other figurative painters. Perhaps it is a different way of looking at things. I see beauty in mundane details, and find little things more interesting than other people might. The crisp edges of a Post-it note that turn up, the unusual texture of a high pile rug, the dimensionality of a raindrop on a window pane… these are the unusual elements of everyday life that I try to capture in utmost detail in my fine art work. I love capturing texture, reflections, and the subtle distinctions that are missed as we hurry through our lives. Gradations of color in a cloud and the tiny shadows that appear in a crack are the kinds of minuscule details that drive me to spend hours working and refining each of my paintings.
I start each painting with a wash of burnt sienna and then start blocking in the imagery using a larger brush. This helps to add warmth to the entire painting no matter what colors I apply on top. I then move on to smaller brushes when I’m working in the detail. I tend to work on several canvases at the same time - usually around 10, as oil paint on canvas is slow to dry. Some of the more detailed paintings have taken years to complete (see the jellybean spiral!)
“Even though I started each series as my inspiration expands, I still continue to create work in each category.”
