Faces and Emotions: My art is inspired by people and their experiences. When I begin each portrait, it is with the desire not only to capture a realistic likeness, but to draw what I see just below the surface. I want to represent to the viewer the essence, spirit, and personality of the person I am drawing.
I have spent many years trying to achieve realistic effects with nothing more than a pencil or some charcoal. I think drawing is an end in itself, rather than a means to an end. When I am working on a two dimensional drawing, I liken it to carving a three dimensional object. The paper becomes the clay, and my drawing instrument becomes the carving tool. This helps me to create a realistic looking image, because I can almost feel the planes and contours.
I take the literal information that the camera gives me, or what I see firsthand, and incorporate design, freedom of technical rendering, and my own emotional energy into each portrait. I strive to give back a greater perfection in my art than what I take in from the world.
