statement

My fixation with realism began the moment I picked up my first crayon. Like most children, my drawings consisted of simple stick figures. I drew them by the dozens, transforming my house into a gallery of colorful artwork. My goal — even then — was to create pictures that would accurately represent the world around me.

As a young adult I began attending figure drawing sessions and I fell in love with the human form. Each model I encountered offered a unique opportunity to explore texture, shape, and unconsidered beauty. I continued to study portraits and figures as an undergraduate student, and though my focus eventually shifted, this exploration of the figure left a lasting impression on my work. I still infuse many of my still life drawings with the same quiet intimacy that I did in my portraits. I’ve discovered that I can find surprisingly emotive qualities in inanimate objects. My compositions focus on the subject alone so as to shine light on the details that make each object distinctive.

I build my drawings with light layers of colored pencils and pastels. Each of my drawings reflects my love for color, texture, and subtle value shifts. An uncommon medium among most professional artists, colored pencils offer a relatively new approach to fine art work. They’re distinguished by their exceptional ability to render fine detail, and they become luminous and vibrant when applied in soft layers. Through my pencil work I’m able to get close to the goal I set as a young girl.