Terra Human Study

I am very happy to have just finished this great little Terra Human study. Up until now my typical habit has been to create separate landscape and figure studies in order to better understand each component but I thought it would be fun to approach a Terra Human painting as a study. I wanted to do this because my Terra Human pieces have become much more involved than they used to be in accordance with my ever developing skills and drive to make each piece better than the last. And I have found myself quite intimidated when starting a large Terra Human painting because I know that I will push myself to make each new painting more visually and emotionally compelling. And while I do really enjoy creating these time-intensive projects I also need to find a space to play around with my Terra Human concepts and imagery in a low stress environment.

 
 

So I hope to create more quick studies like this one where I can lay out an image and practice my technique without diving into a larger long-term project.

This original painting is available for $100 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!

"Sight Unobstructed" Has Been Sold!

I almost can't believe I'm saying this, "Sight Unobstructed" has been sold!
I met this very kind collector a few years ago at one if my first festivals and I'm so happy we have stayed in touch!

 
 

All of my sales are very important to me but it is especially significant when someone invests in a piece that is so personal and showcases my unique style. Every unconventional painting I create is a risk because I am choosing to open my heart up to the world and hope that is received with understanding and appreciation. It can be terrifying to follow your passion but it can be even more frightening to follow it in the exact way that you see fit without too many compromises.

I am so appreciative of the people who see the value in my work and the risk that they take in purchasing a piece of art that can add joy and understanding to their life.

"Undefined" in His New Frame!

I really love framing pieces when I can because I just seems to add another level of aesthetic and finality to the piece. Not to mention it helps possible buyers envision how the painting would look in their own home. I am specifically happy with the image of this piece and the overall look and feel of it. I really wanted this painting to show emotion and a sort of longing.

 
 

Once I framed this piece and then took photos of it for social media, I noticed how drastically the light changes the look of it. These photos were taking with warm colored lights in the room and they seemed to give the piece an golden look.

This original painting is available for $230 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!

Rocky Mountain Winter Painting

Here is a little landscape study of a spot in Rocky Mountain National Park. I just love the contrast of the snow against the beautiful red rocks!

I especially loved working on this piece because it was a great lesson on how to capture a snowy atmosphere that shows distance.

 
 

I really loved capturing the detail on the trees in the foreground and the way the snow piles up in certain places.

This original painting is available for $120 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!

Newest Terra Human!

In this piece I wanted to portray a sense of longing and containment. The person can see and experience his surroundings but while still contained in a window sill. When I created the photoshop renderings (seen below) I was very pleased with the dynamic landscape and how it affected the composition of the piece.

Guy in Window Terra Human.jpg

The figure interacts with the steep mountains by almost leaning on them and looking into the distant sunlight.

 
 

I love the flying birds in this piece and how they create space and distance visually but also a theme of freedom this is just out of grasp.

This framed original painting is available for $230 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!

New Terra Human Painting!

I have finally finished a new large Terra Human painting!
I'm so proud of what I have accomplish in this painting and I hope you all enjoy it! This piece explores the concept of an uninhibited imagination and the willingness to fulfill a vision.

Click HERE to view other Terra Human paintings!

In the beginning stages it was very crucial to block in all of the major shapes and make sure the proportions of the figure were correct. This resulted in me re-working the figure once because I initially made here too large.

I the middle stages I was focused on filling in colors as much as I could was starting to add value and textures to things like the trees, curtains and robe. I took a lot of time to focus on shadows so that the piece looked as realistic as possible within a surreal setting.

In the final stages I spent a lot of time on the woman’s skin tone so that she not only looked realistic but had a personality to her. I also worked on adding sharp contrast to the image while also cleaning up any spots that lacked detail. This stage can be quite maddening because I can always find little things to fix and it can be very difficult to decide when the piece is finished.

But never the less I got to the finish line! This very complex image was a great challenge that pushed my observational skills to a new level. To me this piece symbolizes grace, tranquility and a respect for imagination.

This piece is currently available to purchase! Click HERE to view it in the shop!

In Washington for the Holidays

Hi friends, as I’m sure all of you know, the holidays can be a very busy time so I haven’t been able to update my website recently. I’m still calculating the donation for ACE Scholarships but my rough estimate is over $300!

Anyways I wanted to share a few photos with you of me working on some small paintings while in Bainbridge with my family.

Here is a close up of a small study I did overlooking the Puget Sound, it was a great challenge to capture the light and how it affected the clouds and water.

 
 

Recent Sales!

Hi friends, December has been a busy month with many sales that I’m happy to say are making for a great donation to ACE Scholarships! Here are some recent sales of original paintings!

Black Canyon

Black Canyon

Dancer Study

Dancer Study

Breckenridge Sunset

Breckenridge Sunset

So far the donation to ACE Scholarship is over $300! Lets keep the momentum to support this great organization! The charity promotion will last until December 25th.

 
Evergreen Snow

Evergreen Snow

 

Three Paintings Sold!

I’m very happy to say that three of my lovely Terra Human paintings have been sold to a single collector at the RiNo Music and Arts Showcase! This was an excellent show featuring over 30 unique and talented artists and several local bands.

This very kind collector told me she was looking for art that would make her smile every time she looked at it and these three fit the bill!

Me and Three.jpg
Me and Ethal.jpg

Here are some photos of all three paintings hanging next to each other.

All Three 1.jpg
All three 2.jpg

30th Terra Human Piece!

I have just finished my 30th Terra Human painting! So I thought it would be a great opportunity to reflect on this series as a whole and discuss why it is so important to me. While growing up in Maui I was constantly surrounded by nature and I loved to experience it in a very immersive way. My mom has many embarrassing stories of me as a toddler climbing in trees while still wearing diapers trying to keep up with my older sister. As a child I felt the most like my true self when I was experiencing nature, I was able to move and climb and be athletic while also appreciating the lush greenery that surrounded me. Beyond nature’s inherent value it felt like a mirror to me, reflecting my true identity right back at me whenever I got off track and started to loose myself.

And now I find so much irony in the fact that I spend most of my days indoors trying to illustrate the outside world that is so dear to my heart. These days I frequently observer and appreciate nature from a distance but less frequently experience it and get immersed in it whole heartedly. Due to work and life, many of us have trouble experiencing nature in a way that is best for us and this is why I love creating my Terra Human paintings. I love creating these dream-like images that illustrate a literal relationship between humans and nature in a way that prompts tranquility and self reflection. I hope that my Terra Human paintings can serve as mirrors to those of us who may feel separated from our true selves, a reminder that your truth has value, your identity has worth and our world is a better place because you are in it.

 
 

This 12”x16” oil painting is available for $300. Click HERE to purchase!

"Old Mill" Fall Landscape Finished!

I’m very happy to have finished my latest fall landscape featuring Crystal Mill! This piece was a great exercise in clearly rendering a foreground, middle ground and background while creating a strong focal point. This location makes for a great image because of the interesting structure of the mill and the way it fits so nicely into the surrounding landscape

 
 

While creating this piece I really enjoyed jumping around to different spots of the painting to add details and colors. I have gotten so used to rendering figures that its nice to just focus on a landscape and have fun with the slow and steady process.

This 12”x16” oil painting is available for $170. Click HERE to purchase!

New Fall Landscape in the Works!

So I am currently putting the finishing touches on my new fall landscape of Crystal Mill so here is a fun time-lapse showing the first stages of creation! I have always admired this iconic Colorado scene and am happy to render it in my own way. The final product will be up on my website soon in my Landscape section!

Autumn Landscape Painting!

This piece initially started as a landscape study of Mt. Sneffels but quickly showed some potential to be a finished product that demanded more time and attention. This piece became an excellent exercise in managing color and portraying distance. The warm fall colors in the foreground serve as an interesting contrast to the cold textured colors in the distance. For the snow on the mountain I used my palette knife to create some rough rock-like textures.

Update: This painting has been sold!

 
 

Here is a fun picture of the painting with the actual palette of paints I used!

 
Autumn with paints.jpg
 

New Landscape Study!

Hello! So I just finished my newest landscape study! I use the term study because I am hoping to use this same landscape reference for a Terra Human piece soon! And creating a small study like this helps me understand the landscape on it’s own without a human. It’s been a while since I have painted clouds so I really enjoyed the challenging process and the final result. I have always loved the challenge of illustrating clouds and I love the dynamic quality they can add to a composition.

This 12”x16” study is available for $100. Click HERE to purchase!

New Painting!

I’m very happy to have just finished this piece titled “When We Fall.” The process for this painting was difficult primarily because of the head/face that is slightly tilted downward. I didn’t quite notice this detail at first so in my first two tries of rendering her face I made her head at the wrong angle so the facial features just didn’t look right.

1st Attempt

2nd Attempt

As you can see in my first and second attempts I was not only misinterpreting the angle of the face but I was also wrong with the size. What I finally realized (far right image) is that because the head is tilted down, the eye-line and other facial features should be much lower on the face and you should see more of the top of her head. And this tilt would also make here ears slightly higher than her eyes.

 
 

I don’t enjoy starting over sections of a painting, but I’m realizing more and more how necessary it can be to create the image I’m visualizing in a convincing way. I’m very happy with how this piece turned out and it’s nice to see my hard work paying off!

Male Figures in Art

When I started to paint figures I rendered them in very abstract ways as to avoid difficult details and show the human form in a creative and unique way. Most of these figures were so abstract that there was no obvious gender for the viewer to recognize. But as I developed my skills and started to render humans in a more realistic style I didn’t hesitate to balance my male and female forms. This is to say, that I made an instinctual decision to paint just as many men as I did women. This made a lot of sense to me because I felt like both forms were inherently beautiful and each had many stories to tell through raw physicality. But in my experience viewing art in person in galleries and on social media the majority of other figure painting artists seem to focus solely on the female form. This is a broad generalization of course but it does beg the question of why?

Many artist seem to capitalize on the inherent sexuality of the female form while adding a hint of mystery and aloofness that can captivate the viewer. I can also understand that the female form can have a natural vulnerability to it that can be enhanced through a painting. But this is exactly my point. I feel that the male form is (for the most part) avoided in artist renderings because people aren’t comfortable seeing the image of a man in a vulnerable state. There are thousands of artistic images of women in poses that show vulnerability, sensitivity and openness to the viewer. But these qualities are not traditionally associated with a man so they are not portrayed as frequently in art.

Not that I see myself as a rebel but I do have a strong appreciation for the male form and I think it has a lot to say to a viewer. In my paintings of men I want to show the inherent strength in the form while also showing emotional vulnerability and self contemplation. I hope to continue to illustrate both sexes as multidimensional beings who are both complex and beautiful.

 
 

New Frames

Hi guys! I have spent the last few weekends framing almost all of my 11”x14”s and I think they look great! It’s really nice to see the professional look these paintings can have with the right frame.