My Story

As a resident of the Phoenix metropolitan area, I draw inspiration for my art from the beauty of the Sonoran desert of southern Arizona and the Mogollon plateau in northern Arizona. I learned to draw before I learned to read and write.  Creativity in various forms was part of my earliest memories of childhood. In my youth I drew many subjects and people, with a focus on drawing figures and portraits with pencil and charcoal.

My first painting was done in high school, when I took a few art classes.  In those classes I learned the basics of color theory, light and value, perspective, composition and technique. During school I won a few prizes for my works and was encouraged to pursue art further. However, I went in a different direction during college and studied economics, math and statistics. (My "real job" is in the field of data analytics and data visualization, another medium of visual communication but with a technical angle.) After a long hiatus from doing any art work since high school, I finally returned to it in late 2014 and started making oil paintings.

My Arizona Series

My current series is an exploration of Arizona's natural beauty, from the vast Sonoran desert to the Mogollon plateau.  To make these paintings, I visit many sites, parks and hiking trails around the state, taking pictures and frequently painting on location (plein air).  I take these studies and references back home to my studio and select the best ones to develop into larger paintings.  As my first body of work, this series is also an exploration of style, method and technique.