 | What My Art Means To Me.. |
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As an artist, the idea of having to write something scares me. It’s much easier to draw what I want to say, what I want to do, what’s going on in my mind... To present my fear and happiness in an image that you can judge for yourself; that’s what art is all about for me.
I'm an anxious person by nature. Rather than spend a hot, sunny day at the beach, I prefer to stay inside in the cool, dim light. I feel at peace there, in a place where I can focus on my work. It’s not that I never leave the house, but I prefer to be alone with my thoughts and the paints, pens, sketch books, or whatever else I feel like using that day to get my point across.
Self taught I have been illustrating for 27 years and painting for 5. I always said that once I was able to paint my complex illustrations, I’d have entered the place I wanted to be artistically. It only took 20 years to find the courage to paint and show my work. I was always afraid of being not very good, laughable, wack, boring, lame, etc. My artwork is me: it’s that simple. So if it isn't visually stimulating, then neither am I. I can get very moody and irritated if I do not like what I see while I'm painting ; I don’t hesitate to destroy a work in progress or just give it away unfinished if I cant stand to look at it.
Rarely do I have an exact vision of a painting before I begin; I try to let the piece paint itself. Unless it’s a commission, I paint like a prose writer writes, finding my way as I go. I prefer wood over canvas. Canvas has no personality, but no two pieces of wood are the same, just as no two pieces of art are the same. Sometimes I just follow the texture of the wood and paint what it tells me.
Robots are one of my favorite subjects to paint. These robots, made from very basic shapes, are us: everyday people doing everyday things, but as seen in my world. The Smerk is the first character I ever created. I drew it on the back of a spiral notebook in junior high, and he’s been following me around in my artwork ever since. Star Wars images are also a big presence in my work. I love the At-At's in the Star Wars Universe: coolest four-legged robots ever. I’ve broken them down to basics so that they match the robots. Warped building's , Zombies, Cartoon characters from my childhood, Elephants , Birds, Snakes—all have a place in my paintings.
Color is what I am really obsessing on these days. Dry brush techniques and blending techniques are my new hobby. I don't exactly have a set pallet, but whenever you see baby or light blue in one of my paintings, it symbolizes the world creeping in to remind us of where we are and where we come from. Acrylic paint of all kinds are used: whatever I can get I'm not picky.
Completed work is the pay off. I don't know about other artists, but the completion of a piece is like a legal drug to me. I will stare at it for a long time, and the memories and feelings I had while painting it will flood into my head. I like to sign the painting a few days after I think its done, just in case I see something that bothers me or just doesn’t look right. If a painting doesn’t sell quickly, I will move it out of my direct line of sight so everything I do will look new and fresh and not influenced by a previous piece.
Selling my work and having shows is cool and fun, but I'm really just interested in creating something special that is linked to me forever. Painting is like the fountain of youth: my body will one day die but my artwork will live forever.
Being an artist is all I’ve ever known; it’s my identity as a human living on this planet. I wouldn't have it any other way.
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