Inspiration

Some artist colour the canvas as an expression of their inner world, dreams and thoughts like Salvador Dali's 'The Persistence of Memory' where the melting watches in the landscape represents the passage of time when you feel it in your sleep. Others do portraits like the famous Leonardo da Vinci Vinci's Mona Lisa or self-portraits like those of Frida Kahlo, the renowned Mexican painter who depicted the excruciating physical pain she was suffering in her self- portraits. She painted 55 self-portraits. In her own words "I paint myself because I am too often alone and because I am the subject I know best". But most visual artists paint something that may be an experience or observation specific to them, interestingly making it a universal experience for all the onlookers. The artist's soul succeeds in bringing to life something bigger than himself.

1) What is the source of your inspiration?

Struggle. I call my process Acrylic Alchemy and it is based on the principle idea of using your struggle as a sacrifice of equivalent exchange to create something positive and beautiful for the world. If you utilize your struggle, pain, and trauma as a source of fuel, take control of it, it no longer has any power over you. This is the inspiration behind all of my work...creating your own spark in the darkness.

2) Your process of creating art is similar to which other famous artists?

It’s difficult to say because I’m not trying to be like any other artist, past or present. I am focused on my own unique voice and journey, rather than trying to emulate or mimic another. I spent a lot of time studying Art History during my undergraduate days. I took as many classes as possible, took in as much as I could, and then filtered that as I discovered my own voice. Now I try to distance myself from other work as much as possible while creating because, if only on a subconscious level, it may influence my work and my voice. I think that there are so many sources to pull from (not even limited to art) and it varies depending on the story being told and where I am in my life at any given point. Today I was referencing similarities to my late mentor Roland Reiss. Some of the artists I greatly respect are Van Gogh, Kandinsky, and Basquiat.

3) Your artwork has its elements borrowed from which era or style?

Similar to my view of artists, the same goes for the elements of my work and process. It’s more of a collection of elements from the totality of my studies and experience that are filtered down to whatever story I might be telling at the time. There really are no limitations and it’s a loose blend as I work to develop a unique voice and signature elements of my own, which I believe I have done throughout the course of my career.

4) What themes do you choose for self-discovery through art?

All of my work is about finding your voice and self-discovery...so that really is the primary theme in and of itself. I can think of nothing more beautiful to dive into than the discovery of self, hoping to help others find themselves in the process. As I am always changing, whether moving forward or backwards, because I do admittedly do both, I am presented with an endless abundance of source material to dive into. The story continues as long as I do...and perhaps even after.

5) Describe your process of creating the artwork after you have an idea or concept in mind??

Sometimes the concept precedes the painting, but not always. Sometimes it is a fluid blend. Often though, it is very much dance or a relationship. Say the ideas come first...that is the beginning of the dance or relationship. I have an idea of how it is to go or how to lead, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes I lead... sometimes the painting leads. If I try to control it, that will show. I have to allow the painting to have a voice, to have a say, to take its own steps. I find this to be the key to success and the best of my work. It’s not always as expected, but it is as it should be, whatever that may be. There may be other dances or relationships and it’s important not to compare them, but to accept and appreciate each for what they are, rather than what they could be. They each have their beauty, particularly when you nurture them, work together, and allow them to blossom as you do as well. This is the healthy relationship, the beautiful and delicate dance.