Oils
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Since its
invention over 500 years ago, oil painting has proved a marvelously
versatile medium that has stood the test of time and commands arguably the
highest status in the world of painting mediums. The kinks have been
worked out or should be by now. I make
oil paintings in a 30”x 40”to 40”X 50” or larger format, small oil
paintings like 8”x10” or 9” x12” and many sizes in between. Most of the
smaller paintings are executed directly from life. The larger ones are
done in the studio using field studies and other reference material,
though there are always deviations in working methods. My style of
painting can best be described as direct and I like to exploit the
sensuous quality of paint so I don’t scrimp when applying it. Most of
the works in this section are oils painted on Belgian oil primed linen,
though there may be the occasional one done on board or paper. |
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Pastels
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I drew a
great deal as kid and my parents encouraged me by buying me a set of
Prang pastels for Christmas one year. It would be safe to say my first
full color works were done with these student grade pastels. This was
years before I knew anything about painting so I just made it up as I
went. Since then though, pastel sticks have always felt natural to me,
like pure painting. I have never really taken a class or a workshop in
pastels so what I know I picked up from books, other artists, and much
experimentation. For an artist who loves to draw and also loves color,
pastels are an exciting and powerful medium. Since
those childhood days I have graduated to higher quality pastel sticks and
have of late been combining them with other mediums such as watercolor,
charcoal, and other media.
Collectors new to the medium should feel secure about the longevity and
permanence of pastels. Executed correctly with quality pigments on good
paper and kept under glass, pastels are an absolutely permanent medium and
are actually far less vulnerable to aging issues (such as cracking and
yellowing) that occur in oil paintings. |
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Drawings &
Other
Works on Paper
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I’ve
been drawing for as long as I can remember and I make drawings for various
reasons. I draw for information (about the world around me and about
myself). I draw as an exercise to keep visually “fit” or to work out ideas
for paintings. Sometimes I make drawings that are complete expressions
themselves. I also draw for the mere joy of it. Up till
now I have mostly kept my drawings tucked in portfolios or in sketchbooks
on a shelf. After some encouragement I’ve decided to let some of them out
of storage and post them on this section of my web-site. We’ll include
sketches, figure studies, completed drawings and mixed media pieces. I think
drawing is fundamental to all I do and have done as a visual artist.
Drawing is indeed a fundamental human language. Most drawings can be read
and understood by almost anyone regardless of cultural background,
education, native language or even age. Humans used drawing to communicate
before the advent of written language. Drawing is a wonderful language to
read and better still to be able to speak. |
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