Artist Statement
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'When I work within my living room, looking out at the lake, its so quiet, just the sound of silence hanging in the air as the sun is coming up, and the world is still mostly asleep.This is my favourite time, inspiration is flowing, everything seems easy, it allows me to be reminded that I don’t know why I draw, I just love to draw. Its hard to say when I know if I’m happy with an idea, that it is worth finishing, but when I know its an exciting, apprehensive rush, nervous because if I find out early in the process, things can change in a hurry. I have a real connection to my art because of the many hours I spend with each piece, if I am holding back for fear ruining a picture, I just think of what Bob Ross would say: “ We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents”. That's pretty much the process, some of my best ideas have grown from a happy accident. Its a great feeling and an important step in the artist process to create without apprehension or fear of mistakes, just leave all those worries behind.
What I consider important is the content I’m trying to transfer to the page, I’m not trying to make statements or change peoples minds, I just draw what I like, and I hope people get some joy or wonderment from it. I like seeing how each piece gets a response, it is always surprising to me, I never know what will trigger someone, everyone reacts in their own way. Currently I am drawing places, places I’ve been, places that are important to me, my immediate area, a place that I think may inspire people, and I always like to draw fish. My work isn’t about fancy media or material, its just ink on paper, simple and effective, although I’m picky about my pen choice. I like bold, simple colours, not a giant palate to play with, narrows down decisions in a hurry, and has helped in shaping my style. Ink has such a solid look, so I don’t shade objects although I draw the shadow, using different colours or just black ink, to enhance the perspective of an object. Perspective has become an important tool for me and my trade as a sheet metal worker has helped by teaching me how to do an isometric style of drafting with which I like to tinker with in my work.The only actual schooling I’ve had is high school art class, not much for the resume but i had a great art teacher, Connie Osgood. I wasn’t great at attending any class but she had her own way of making any student “want” to attend. After using her influence on me, I quickly learned to completely like and respect her art, people, perseverance skills, and Connie herself. I started to develop my style in her class, I produced a piece of a repeating man drawn in the negative, seemed to strike a chord in me, and I have been evolving that style ever since. My favourite and most inspirational artists, are M.C. Escher, Salvidor Dali, and Emily Carr, three very different artists I know, but each has their part. Escher is the pen work, the detail, and of course how he plays with different perspectives, in one picture, harmony and discord working together at the same time. Dali to me is letting the mind go, looking outside the box, no artistic fear of mistake, and how his work demands a reaction. My favourite part of Emily Carr’s art is in her landscapes, the west coast inspiration, the uniqueness of her work, I just really enjoy her style. |
My History |
I grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, finished high school and moved to Lake Louise to become a Chef in 1993. The next 10 years in Calgary was spent cooking and going to cook school at SAIT Polytechnic ( Southern Institute of Technology ), where I became a Cook Journeyman receiving my Red Seal. I then moved to the west coast of Canada on Vancouver Island, changed gears completely and went back to school at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia. I recieved my Red Seal as a Sheet Metal Journeyman, working for various companies on Vancouver Island.
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