Southwest themed art in a number of mediums

Artist Statement

I truly find joy living in the high desert. The sunlight, the color, the unusual plant life, and the diversity of the wildlife, for me, taps into the fundamental aspects of the human experience and the intrinsic connection we all have with the natural world regardless of the language we speak.

At the same time I am fascinated with the future and what the possibilities are in our ever- changing technological world. After all few would disagree that science has transformed us, not only by advancing our knowledge, but improving the quality of our lives. 

I have married my sense of wonder and awe that nature evokes with the newest creative tools that technology provides me by painting with pixels.

My digital art process starts by creating the perfect picture to tell nature’s story, whether is the grandeur of a mountain, the vastness of the desert, or the cast of characters that live in this harsh but beautiful environment. The computer screen becomes my canvas as I combine a landscape photo, with some plant life, and then add in a bird, or a coyote, or maybe a rabbit. If I don’t have a photo I need I will draw or paint that part and scan it into the piece. The resulting composition is an original artwork, brought together to create an expressive point in time.

It can take many days to compose this picture, taking the individual pieces and putting them together in a way that looks like they were always meant to be together. Once I have this piece, I may use pixels to paint extra elements in to the scene. Then I run the composition through a series of art filters. Finally I take the composition and play with the colors.

There are an infinite amount of possibilities of what I can do or change until it is to my liking and this is usual the part of the process where the painting speaks to me. The finished file is sent to a professional printer, who prints my art on acrylic, which adds a sheen, can hang indoors or out, and will last forever.

In the initial stages of creating a pixilated painting I choose to tell a story or bring to life something that appeals to my sense of wonder about the natural world. Nature represents life and growth, as well as renewal. This is the essence of life and my hope is that the viewer reflects on their own existence and relationship with the environment around them.

Each piece I do is a discovery with its own unique emotions. However there is an overriding theme in my work as I strive for simplicity, yet the clarity to capture a single moment in the desert. I believe nature’s ability to inspire stems from its inherent beauty and connection to life. I humbly attempt to provide an escape from the stresses of daily life with the joy of art.