"Fat City Cafe" Painting

My work is a mix of observation, pop culture, historical references, free association and being open to where mistakes may lead. It's like the feeling of being inside of a dream where you are drawn into the emotion of a non linear narrative and have to find your own meaning. There’s a connection there or something that draws you in. It’s my job to create that connection through paint and the 2D surface. Sometimes it reveals itself quickly and organically; most times it’s a struggle which takes time and hard work to pull out the connection and uncover the soul of it. I want to share with the viewer, the progress of this struggle in my paintings.

My process usually involves sketching to capture the physical place or moment, and bringing those studies into the studio to edit, simplify and sometimes deconstruct. I utilize sketchbooks and mediums which can be used to capture thoughts or moments quickly: graphite, colored pencils, watercolor and gouache. Paintings based on these studies generally involve the use of acrylic, oil, and sometimes collage. Final paintings are executed on canvas or custom wood panels. I also build custom wood framing for many of the pieces which adds to the personalized story I‘m telling.

Painting for me is a necessity. It is my ultimate means of expression and communication. My goal in painting is much like that of a songwriter: Creating a riff or section of music which pulls people in, makes them dance, think, or look at their own life in a new way. I’m not referring to radio hits that get played every hour on the hour, making you despise them over time, but pieces that invite and reward multiple viewings, always presenting new and interesting perspectives and discoveries. It doesn’t have to be explainable — instead it should contain a depth and intricacy which invites a visual dialogue. I am intrigued by the balance between representation versus abstraction. There is something so human and beautiful about playing between these two worlds — the real and the unknown.