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Everything you ought to know:

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• Inspiration

  • Faces -- I look for faces I connect to on some level;  I am drawn to an expression, a certain amount of drama, vulnerability, beauty. You'll see I mostly choose women with full lips. It is just the way it is.

  • Music -- Often, in my studio, music is going. In the midst of drawing or painting, a certain song will have a profound effect on my mood, I act upon it. I often say "the impulse is the action," I improvise as I work. Most pieces do not [unless they are commissioned] turn out the way I plan. Those "happy accidents" are fun and challenging.

  • Historic Events -- What I am reading, studying or binge-watching might drive me down a rabbit hole of research, and that bit of discovery may end up in a piece. 

  • Materials at hand -- A piece of paper, a greeting card, a piece of artwork might grab my attention. A color scheme or theme may emerge, just from handling a snippet of color, or an image that makes my heart skip a beat.

• Getting Started

  • I have a drawer of images, photographs, and "ideas." Periodically, I'll go through it and when my hand falls upon the right thing, I know it, and I ac upon it. A piece of tape affixed to an easel, or the wall ​serves as a reminder, or inspiration.

  • Sometimes, it's just a pretty face. Sometimes -- deeper meanings. What

                appeals to me, appeals to someone, somewhere!

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• Process

My first step is cutting paper. I have paper in many bins:

Raw materials -- all that junk mail, all those calendars,

                       greeting cards, advertisements, post cards, etc. I'll cut this paper into ​

                       chunks based on color

Color bins -- once I choose a color scheme, I dig through those bins to

                       find my key colors. I pull those "chunks" and cut them either into strips or

                       squares... or other shape.  

          Strip bins -- I put the colors I want to use aside, and then dig into the elongated trays sorted by color

Drawing --    I mostly work on stretched canvas.  I draw fast and paint fast. It's pretty simple, I use a pencil. I only                               paint if I am showing a client a painted image. I actually write numbers or notes on the canvas.

The Paper -- I start with one color, cut a bunch of strips into squares [using the guillotine] and put a pile in the tray                           of my easel. I start gluing in place.

                        I hand-cut every single piece to make sure they fit exactly next to each other. I might cut a piece over                             and over until it's exactly right. These are tiny slivers. 

• When I'm done -- or am I?

  • I think this is a huge issue for artists. When to stop. Sometimes it's a breeze, sometimes it's confusing. This is where the agony & the ecstasy part comes in. Do I like it? Will you like it? What's missing? What's wrong? ​Do I need to fix something? [grab the exacto] or do I step back, pleased as punch.

  • Every piece is different. Sometimes I will go back...days, weeks, months, YEARS later to make a change. 

  • After I am sure I am done, no more touching, the lacquer happens. A simple choice between matte or gloss. I use non-toxic, water-based lacquers that will seal the piece and keep it safe for years to come.

  • Sometimes I choose other materials to mix in -- glitter, crackle, color, tints, etc. 

    • Sometimes I will embellish the surface even more -- with yarn, jewels, feathers, rhinestones, beads, bits, baubles, photographs or other items that reflect the meaning of the piece.

• Why I care

  • I am sharing my soul with you. I am pouring skill, experience, emotion and time into an image; onto a canvas.​

  • Each piece means something to me. 

  •  I am upcycling. This means I am turning items of little worth into something of much more value. How is this possible? The paper I use could be garbage, filling landfills. Instead, I take this product and transform it into something of merit -- a piece of fine art that is a permanent asset.

    • My work is beneficial to the environment, is relevant to the time we live in.

• Why you should care [as much as I do]

  • Perhaps you're an eco-warrior, too!

  • My hope is that a piece [or more] will resonate with you on a soul level. That something unique I create is pertinent & becomes a treasured part of your life. More than a "conversation piece" to be admired,  also a benefit as a clean, green, eco-friendly piece of your decor.

• Where it sells 

  • My work has sold at fine art galleries across the country. It's also been shown at international art festivals and shows, and is currently represented by Chasen Galleries in Richmond, VA and Sarasota, FL. 

  • Pieces that are in my possession are available for sale, please contact me directly to make a purchase or to commission a piece.

  • I'm always looking for additional opportunities for representation. Please contact me to show my work in your gallery.

• How it sells? Really well!

  • In cities that value eco-friendly and green movements, it sells extremely well.

  • In cities that have sophisticated collectors interested in unique techniques, striking images

  • and  ​distinctive portraiture... extremely well!