I'm not a colorist. I think I enjoy color in other works of art and understand it's properties somewhat. Color to me interferes with what I'm trying to say. It waters downs the essence of the piece. Line and tone convey feelings and emotions in a more direct and immediate way.

Sometimes when I'm in a groove with brush and line doing this minimal drawing where the eye of the viewer completes the image. Where every line becomes important, and economy of stroke becomes very essential.

I learned this method from my mentor, Raymond Drew, who taught watercolor painting at HIghlands my Alma Mater. He taught me to draw with a brush taking my pencil away and breaking it in two.

Sometimes the work is compared to sumi-e or calligraphy. Although probably influenced by both I use a different method. I use a bristle brush which gives me the benefit of texture and tone using a dry brush technique.

My subjects are mostly androgynous figures. Sometimes melancholy and withdrawn. I almost never put smiles on the faces as that only confuses the issue. I want to paint a direct and immediate image. I identify the subject, a solitary figure and make it to the point of enigma, using line, tone, and form to convey a feeling and emotion.

I paint mostly from photographs, some of which I take myself. Photos give me the freedom to distort and change, even changing the gender of the subject.

Most of my work is black and white. My medium is tempera and brush on paper and panel.