Artist’s Statement
When I paint portraits, I transfer the essence of an individual onto the canvas by channeling the person’s energy. If painting a musician, I channel using music of their creation. The color and composition express the level of vibratory energy that reflects the individual’s energy, the actual presence, can be felt in the room with you and could walk off the canvas at any moment and engage in conversation.
For me, the whole point of creating something visual is to stimulate in individual viewer to bond within themselves with an exact emotion, easily identifiable. The viewer may feel passion, loss, regret, joy, peace, or happiness. The person may fell disconcerted, may hate it or love it. Every single emotion is a direct reflection of what is inside that person. Even if the person feels nothing, then the absence of feeling can be looked at and examined as a personal reaction. Why not? Why is nothing felt? If I have made you feel something. . . anything . . .then I have done my job as an artist.
My objective is to transform the audience in a way that gives each person the opportunity to get in touch with inner truths. All creative endeavors should have a message. It does not matter if it is amazingly complex or beautifully simplistic. The message is always profound if it speaks to the viewer.
We all have layers we must peel off of our inner selves to get to our core issues and truths. Everything transforms you into getting close or further from your internal core or spirit. The choice is yours as to which direction to go in.
My purpose is to create, to transform, to convey energy; To make an impact on the viewer so the viewer has an experience; To evoke emotion. Whether the viewer likes it or not is exactly the point.
Artist’s Background
I grew up in the rural south during the seventies spending most of my time as a child and young adult trying to understand who I am and why I’m here in the midst of a dysfunctional environment.
Although I was told I was a gifted artist I never put any energy there because I sisn’t think it had any value. I earned a college degree, majoring in Art and Design with a Minor in Art History. Like most people, I ended up in an entirely different line of work after graduation. I went through many, many jobs and wore many, many hats. I worked in Interior Design, NASCAR, IRL,NFL, corporate America, the entertainment and music industries. I traveled, socialized, mingled, made decisions, negotiated, had meetings, meetings, and meetings and talked, and talked and talked. Still, I was unfulfilled with who, what and where I was. My experiences never went beneath the surface and it was not until I was forced, due to external events(Thanks Ralph), that I dealt with the reality of . . .”Why am I the way I am?”
It was time to do my dirty laundry, the past, facing it, owning it and accepting it. I discovered it really is just about experiencing on a soul, inner spirit, core level. This translates into just living by loving with no expectations and no limitations. I realized that we are in control of our own experiences by the choices we make, our thought processes, and by loving and honoring ourselves. My discovery, to be in the moment and do what I love to do, brought me true happiness, joy and peace. I found out that I am an artist, a healer, and a messenger. I am here to help others get to their truths. That is why I create. That is who I am.
