Artist Statement
They say that the best way to learn is to teach. After teaching art to teenagers for twenty-six years, I feel like I have had the best art education possible. I have used just about every medium under the sun and have helped over 5,000 students solve visual problems and many mistakes along the way. Quite by accident, I discovered my own voice through an unexpected medium, colored pencil. I discovered I really enjoy drawing the human face as my favorite subject matter. Light hitting the human form is magical to me. Breathing life into facial features is a delight when the personality of the model emerges.
As I embark into semi-retirement. I’m excited to do all the projects I never had time for. Recently I discovered an unusual surface for colored pencil. It is double-sided matt drafting film. It is archival, easy to erase, and lends itself to creating special effects. I love the unusual combination of brush stroke and pencil stroke.
My models are often my students, family and fellow teachers I work with. I also enjoy going out on photo shoots where people are in costume. The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a favorite place of mine to go. Colored pencil is perfect for rendering tiny details. I love the challenge of ornate jewelry and intricate lace. I work with several techniques that speed up the process of the tedious application of pencil with solvents, markers, and heat. I work many of my pieces as if they were an oil painting. I build layers of color to achieve depth and rich saturated color. Many people exclaim they can’t believe it is colored pencil.
In the last six years, I’ve become a Signature member of the Colored Pencil Society of America and the president of the Phoenix Chapter. My near future will include teaching workshops, private lessons, and commissions.
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