Israel no. 1 Drawing

I was born in South Natick, MASS, oct.29th, 1982. I grew up in Piermont NY, a small beautiful town 30 min north of Manhattan. I now live in brooklyn, ny, where i have my studio. Although i focus mainly on the art at the moment, i am also a yoga teacher and a jewelry designer.

My inspiration for drawing began early in my life. Throughout my childhood my family traveled all over the world to remote landscapes which were the subject of my mother's fine art photography. I developed an appreciation for the beauty and vastness of the ever-changing sky and sea. I loved watching a far off storm on the western desert plains, the monsoon rains of southern India, and the cold arctic light illuminating Greenland's waters. In my work I explore moments of transition, turbulence and tranquility in the landscape and their impact on the viewer. In this process I am reminded of how small we are when confronted with the powerful forces of nature. The act of drawing can be a meditation for me, and my hope is that the viewer can share this experience of tranquil escape when engaging the work.

Past heroes include 19th century landscape painters such as John Constable, Thomas Cole, (including many others from the Hudson River School) and certainly Turner's luminous paintings. One current influence is my mom. She has taught me a great deal about light, and the ways it can be captured illuminating a landscape. Another contemporary inspiration is Robert Longo. I made the decision to begin my cloud study series when i first saw his wave drawings at the 2004 Whitney Biennial. The techniques with which they are drawn amaze me. His exhibition at Metro Pictures "The Outward and Visible Signs of an Inward and Invisible Grace" embodied similar themes to my work... certainly awe inspiring.