My Inspiration

Amid the chaos of life, I find peace and control in painting. Not all things in the creative process are smooth sailing, but I have the ability and the creative license to fix, change or scrap a project. Most of all I find it therapeutic to get lost in my process and focus on the nostalgia and beauty of my subjects.

I find inspiration in nature, history, architecture, and travel. Through my creative process I get to reminisce on adventures I’ve been on, from short road trips for camping to overseas adventures and places big and small in between. I also revisit my childhood for inspiration and lean hard into my family’s architecture history.

I grew up on a ranch in Montana and began creating art with and of old farming machinery. The shapes of the metal components and rust patterns created interesting focal points and told a story of years of working the land and eventual deterioration.

My art journey blossomed when my mom taught me how to use her canon film camera. I enjoyed the challenge of capturing an interesting photo with a limited number of tries and not being able to see the final product for days, if not weeks. It was like opening presents when the film was finally developed. Many of the creative rules that I still follow were developed during this time, especially composition rules.

Many of my photos included close ups or cropped versions of what you would see with your own eyes. I enjoyed creating new and unique view points of the ordinary. Today, I’m still drawn to unique shapes, contrasting colors and elements that force you to see the world in unique ways.

Currently, I’ve gotten lost in my great grandfather’s architecture designs. While I’ve painted the likeness of a couple of his buildings I prefer to take parts of the architecture or specific lines and make them nearly if not fully unrecognizable. Even his own son exclaimed that I took a lot of liberties with my interpretations.

I continue to be drawn to interesting shapes that are manmade or created in nature. I enjoy the challenge of merging nature and industry to create an intriguing painting.