My style and preferred mediums are fluid and frequently change on a whim. Personally, most of the joy of creation is figuring out new ways to actualize my ideas. I took a break from art for a long time, but I am now in a process of rediscovery. Through trial and error, I aim to examine what I love about the creative process. I enjoy drawing, printmaking, watercolor painting, stumbling my way through oil painting, knitting, sewing, and so any other forms of expression. Sometimes I just want to try something new, even if another medium would be better suited in execution. Currently, I am exploring the many ways to depict light and shadow in a variety of mediums. A quote from my favorite illustrator Leo Dillon, who collaborated with his wife Diane on many amazing works of art, describes my feelings on this subject perfectly:
“People always ask us why we do so many styles. We gave up our individual styles. Now the whole history of art—all the world’s styles—are our inspiration. Whenever we see a style that fits the subject, we use it, but we alter it to suit our needs. We don’t just imitate it. If someone says, ‘I saw this cover and then I saw your name and I didn’t believe you had done it,’ that’s the best compliment we can receive. It’s not about ‘looking like a Dillon’—although, since it’s filtered through us, something does come through that makes our work recognizable to many.”
In that same vein, I am simply doing what I love and constantly evolving as I mature.
The freedom to explore and find inspiration in the world I live in has recently motivated me continue studying the arts. I am now constantly reflecting on what makes a subject attractive, whether it is inanimate or human, beautiful or ordinary. Everyday items have taken on a new life and the form of the things I’ve always seen, but overlooked, are now potential subjects for my art practice. At the core, I’ve realized that I have found an appreciation for the mundane and an onset of inspiration fueled by finding joy in simple things. I am now driven by the potential to explore all the ways I can create art, without limit. This, in part, was inspired by my love for artists like Wayne Thiebaud and Edward Hopper, who are almost reverent in their depictions of everyday subjects like paint cans, city streets, storefronts, and beach retreats.
With experience, I also hope to gain a better understanding in how the materials I use as an artist effect the environment. I am learning to use oil paints while foregoing use of the traditional solvents and mineral spirits and studying how to properly dispose of paints and rags when necessary. Every time I study a new technique or learn to use a different medium, I research the environmental effects it will have on my surroundings. While it could be said that I am limiting myself, I believe that just because something has always been done one way, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t find alternate methods and appreciate them just as well. This also ties into my thoughts on the size of artworks. I have constantly been taught that bigger is better, but I always second-guess this obsession with excess. Perhaps it takes more skill to fill a larger space, whether it’s pencil on paper or paint on canvas, but I don’t believe it’s necessary unless the intention of the artist is to wow the audience with the scale. The same amount of technique could be displayed by using a small brush on a small canvas. There is much I still must learn, but every step of the way brings me joy.