Arts
“My art philosophy is still in the works. I am still, and will always be, learning about what art is, is not, and what makes great art. I certainly believe that art is an essential aspect of being human due to the biblical idea of our Imago Dei (image of God). And since I’ve been viewing old and contemporary art, I come to the conclusion that great visual art tends to cause a sense of awe and wonderment in the viewer, immediately or delayed. Great art, for me, stops time for a moment, and reminds us that life, and this world we experience, is indeed intentionally special. I am particularly drawn to the historical legacy of paint on canvas. The immaterial impact that colored pigment smeared on a surface has on a person fascinates me. My work deals with a deep commitment to aesthetic integrity using traditional painting techniques, and my current body of work continues my basic investigation of portraiture and its ability to present different ideas. Through intense observation and subtle decisions made during my creative process, I draw out my particular view of the world. When I paint a portrait, I aim to capture a truth about the subject’s life as well as mine, it is a search to discover ways to nourish the eyes and the soul. My subjects dominate the picture plane to create an intimate space with the viewer and initiate a casual confrontation. Lastly, I choose to paint people whose lives are characterized by a counter cultural view of the world, hoping to push it in a better direction through the arts.”