Untitled Drawing

From an early age, I gravitated to anything artistic and creative. Luckily, this was encouraged by my parents. While other kids were creating flat drawings with crayons and markers, I was essentially creating "mixed media" pieces by using collage and other objects along with drawing. Several early school poster contests were won in this fashion. By high school, I had explored many different mediums and continued to do art projects outside of school. Receiving a Pentax K1000 from my dad at the age of 16 gave me the opportunity to start playing around with black and white photography - which was soon to become a focal point. I was accepted into UCLA School of Art and continued with photography and mixed media. During those years I worked in the entertainment industry, was an assistant to a professional photographer for a short time, and did freelance graphic design on the side. During the last two years of college I had also participated in several group shows in Los Angeles as well as a small solo show - all with mixed media pieces. Shortly after graduating the freelance work picked up and I decided to move in that direction, forming the company JV Media Design. Seventeen years later, JVM is still going and I have had the opportunity to work with other artists, musicians, small business owners and worldwide companies such as Nike and MTV. I try not to limit myself as far as mediums go, but I do have a few favorites including digital, mixed media and oil pastel. If I had to give my personal style a name, it would have to be eclectic. I was never the type of person who wanted to develop a particular, signature style, and it shows through the things I make. I do love looking at things in a different way - seeing ordinary items in extraordinary ways or turning something average into something mysterious. I also have a love of kitsch and "outsider" art and occasionally that influence will show up for me. Other than that, I create what I find enjoyable and interesting. I hope you enjoy looking at it.