Hello friends! I just wanted to share my latest Youtube Video with you! I have just uploaded my time lapse process video of my newest Terra Human painting “Imprint” and I hope you enjoy watching it! I have a few more videos coming out soon so be sure to subscribe so you can see those as well!
Terra Human | "Imprint"
My newest Terra Human painting “Imprint” is finished and available! This piece expresses how an environment can leave a lasting impact on us, bonding with us on a spiritual level in a way that allows us to learn something new about ourselves.
We often strongly identify with our surroundings growing up and this can influence what places bring us the most joy and introspection later in life. But we can also find a deep appreciate for new environments where significant moments take place. There are times when every aspect of a moment is perfect and this amount of bliss creates a strong tie to what surrounds you. Everything from what you see, to what you smell, to what you touch gets imprinted into your memory and this place is now a part of who you are. This location has now been saturated with incredibly strong emotions and it is almost impossible to separate the two. The joy you feel when you remember a perfect moment in a perfect place is almost intoxicating and it inspires you to explore and seek out more moments of bliss and perfection.
This piece is available to purchase in my online shop for $500. Click here to view this painting in the shop!
I really enjoyed creating this piece and the part I loved most about it was the colors. I love working with warm colors and was really nice to see how they create a mood. The intense sunlight made a variety of yellows, oranges and reds that really contributed to the overall look of the piece. My favorite detail of this piece has to be the light coming through her hair. From the initial stages of this piece I was really excited to paint her sunlit hair so when I finally painted this section I had a great time and it really made the lighting convincing.
Taking Photos in Rocky Mountain National Park!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of driving up to Rocky Mountain National Park to take some photo references for future paintings. This was my first experience at the park and I was absolutely stunned by the natural beauty that surrounded me and my sister-in-law.
Even though we visited in the winter season, all of the views seemed to be saturated with color from the trees, snow, rock or sky.
We chose to hike our way up to Dream Lake which is frozen during this time of the year, we were able to walk on the ice and see how some of the water was almost frozen in motion among the rocks. We stayed in this area through sunset and its interesting to see the photo comparisons before and after sunset. Below you can see the color and light changes that happened in the environment after the sun had gone down.
I love seeing these rock formations covered in show because it seems to add definition to theme and a sense of dimensionality.
Overall this was a great experience in nature and a wonderful opportunity to capture some inspirational images for more paintings!
Terra Human | "Between Light and Shadow"
My newest Terra Human painting is finally done! After weeks of tweaking, reworking and obsessing over minute details she is finally done! I really hope you enjoy this piece and please read the full description!
Process: I started this painting by using a grid on my reference image and then drawing the same grid onto my panel so I could accurately lay out my composition. After that I started to immediately paint the face because I knew it would take the longest and require the most accuracy. As you can see by the process images below I reworked the face several times and painted several layers in order to obtain the realism that I wanted.
As you can see in some of the later images, I experimented with many different abstractions in order to get the right look for the painting. There were several instances when I would paint a section like the window or her arm in a particular way and the next day I would changed it because I didn’t like how it looked. Overall I found this piece much more approachable by painting it in sections. I would mix up my color palette for a particular part of the piece and then only focus on that area for almost the whole day.
This original painting is available to purchase in my shop! CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT IN MY SHOP!
Description: “Between Light and Shadow” The concept of this painting is strongly linked into the techniques I employed to create it. The biggest hurdle I needed to overcome in this particular piece was how to properly observe and render this figure which has so many complex and nuanced shadows. And when I identified this issue I couldn’t help but see the parallel to the shadows in our lives. It is no secret that many of us feel shaded by experiences in our lives that we just cannot seem to brighten. These experiences may even define us for a certain amount of time and control our behaviors because they affected us so deeply. I even felt this way when I started painting the figure’s face and couldn’t seem to see any end in sight. I felt a bit lost in these darker values and couldn’t see the distinct differences between colors. It seemed like colors and values were getting muddled in the shadows making me think there was no beginning or end to my brush strokes.
But as I progressed with this painting and persevered to give it a chance to develop I started to discover that with time and effort these shadows presented rare opportunities. I began to see the subtle colors that can be found in shadows because of reflected light. I started to understand that theses shadows created an amazing contrast that made the highlights even brighter. The figure I was painting was no longer defined by the shadows that used to haunt her rather now her character was enhanced and clarified by the this darkness. The shadows now seemed to server as a backdrop for all of the light that is embracing her.
We all experience shadowing in our lives but as we grow we learn to create our own definitions of ourselves and we can choose the path that allow us to see the most light.
Thank you for reading!
My Newest Terra Human Painting!
NEW TERRA HUMAN PIECE! After working on this piece for a few weeks I'm happy to say it is finally done! I really enjoyed playing with textures in this one and problem solving the composition. Here are the details and the description...
Title : Hidden Away | 12"x16" Available for $650 Framed
This piece deals with our reactions to stress and anxiety. The person in this piece has a tendency to respond to stresses in his life by pulling away and blending into his surroundings. He hopes that if he is invisible his problems won’t find him and he can take comfort by retreating into himself. As he blends further and further into the environments that surrounds him he starts to loose sight of his priorities and the traits that define him as a person.
By retreating like this he cuts himself off from others and the ways in which they can help him. In his brain he sees asking for help as a weakness and thinks his problems will only hurt the people closest to him. While he is pulling away from others his gaze narrows and he sees less and less of the big picture and only focuses on himself and the fact that he is stuck.
There are not right or wrong ways to deal with stress in our lives but the more we can let people into our realities they better they will understand us and how we process our issues.
Two Paintings Accepted to a Group Show!
Hey guys, I’m really happy to share that "Undefined" and "Williams Lakes have been accepted to the Jones Gallery March Group Show in Kansas City!
This will be my first show in a while and I’m really excited!
Unfortunately I wont be able to attend the show in person but here are the details.
The show is at Jones Gallery in Kansas City Missouri, the address is
Jones Gallery
1717 Walnut
Kansas City, MO
64108
The First Friday Reception will be on March 6th. from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Here is a link to the Jones Gallery website if you want to check out some of their artists or previous shows https://jonesgallerykc.com
A Very Special Custom Painting
So I finally finished this very large and very special commission. I hope you enjoy hearing about it and why it is so important.
It can be incredibly difficult to lose someone you are close to and we all experience loss at some point in our lives but nothing can match the heartbreak of losing a true life partner. Sometime our thoughtfully planned out timeline is cut short by something unexpected and this can be devastating and life altering. But it can be nothing short of incredible to see how we can cope with such losses and slowly create a new life for ourselves.
The recipient of this painting lost her partner in 2018 and hoping I could create a a painting of him enjoying his favorite spot in Montana. When I agreed to take on this project, I wanted to approach it with the upmost sensitivity and respect in a way that would memorialize this person and visualize him enjoying his favorite place in the world. I wanted to show him in a truly better place free from the complications of our world.
I hope this piece can serve as a reminder of the wonderful life that has been lived and the wonderful life that is still unfolding.
This piece is titled “A Moment Stretched to Eternity” because I wanted to capture the feeling we get when we are enjoying time with our loved ones and a single moment can have so much happiness and contentment that we want it to last forever. We hope that time can just stand still so we can soak in all of the positivity from the people we love and always view them in this moment of perfection. But the best we can do is hold onto these moments as we travel through life and appreciate the people we love the most while they are here and remember them fondly when they are gone.
"EVE" My Newest Terra Human Painting!
I'm incredibly excited to finally share my newest Terra Human painting with you all! This piece is titled “EVE” and has been by far the most complex painting I've made to date with very specific lighting, tricky color transitions semi translucent clothing and not to mention a full reflection of the intricate mountains in the water! 😯
It's safe to say that I'm really proud of myself for persevering through this process from start to finish even though there were times when I thought I bit off more than I could chew. Fun fact, I composed this piece on photoshop months ago but knew that I needed to develop my skills even more so that I could have a good shot at creating this. I think that the making of this piece really speaks to a character trait that I developed in my athletic career which is always expecting more of myself. I'm constantly raising my standards of what I can create and never settling for comfortability. I feel really fortunate to have learned that ones artistic abilities are not a fixed talent rather a skill that can be developed with the right discipline and patience.
Anyways, I hope you really enjoy this piece and please give it a like or comment if you do, it really helps me out.
Here is a full description of the piece. This painting is about our childhood. In our youth we had visceral and raw experiences with our natural world that gave us an appreciation for our surroundings and a humility for their potential. The oceans we swam in, the forests we gazed at and the mountains we climbed all gifted us with an emotional imprint that we will be stored in our hearts for the rest of our lives. And it is because we were young that we experienced these environments with such intensity. Our responsibilities were minimal, our thoughts were naive and our imaginations ran wild. We were small and new to the world so we moved though it with a curious spirit that encouraged us to explore and live in the moment. This childlike spirit is not lost though, it visits us whenever we go into nature and lose ourselves in its impossible beauty and power. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable in this world and fully experience the environment that surrounds us we rekindle this playful spirit and allow it to walk along side us through a world that needs understanding and compassion more than ever.
UPDATE: This original painting has been sold but prints are available for purchase!
Cyber Monday Print Sale!
Hi friends! I’m doing a Cyber Monday Sale today! (12/2/19) Almost all of my prints are 50% off and I’m temporarily re-releasing my “As One” limited edition prints for today only!
So be sure to visit my online shop to grab your favorites before they are gone!
My Newest Figure Painting!
My newest figure piece is officially available! I'm really proud of how this one turned out and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
✅This 8"x10" original piece is available for $350 in my online shop. CLIKC HERE TO PURCHASE!
" A Fleeting Moment" This piece visualizes the significance of a moment and how important it is for us to pay attention. There are so many moments in our lives when the stars seem to align into something beautiful that can change the way you look at the world if you let it. There may be times in your life when, for whatever reason the light it just right, the sounds are soothing, the environment is stunning and the people you are with are perfect as they are and all of these things collide into a blissful fleeting instant that can bring you inexplicable joy and humility.
Please take the time to recognize these moments because they will bring you a deeper understanding of yourself and the people and places that surround you.
Announcement of Limited Edition Prints!
Hi everyone I have an important announcement for you all! I will me doing a LIMITED TIME RELEASE of my "As One" Limited edition prints next weekend 11/9 and 11/10!
This will be a 48 hour opportunity to snag a limited edition print of this unique piece. There will only be 30 prints in total and they are divided evenly between two sizes, 9"x12" and 12"x16 all prints are matted and 6 that are already framed.
Here is the price breakdown:
9”x12” - $40.00
12”x16” - $65.00
9”x12” Framed - $60.00
12”x16” Framed - $80.00
Special bonus! If you are on my newsletter list you will be able to use your monthly discount code on your order!
Each print has the print number out of thirty, the title of the piece, the date it was signed and my signature.
"Unguarded" A New Terra Human Piece
Hello friends, I want to share my newest Terra Human piece with you all! This 9”x12” is titled “Unguarded” and deals with themes of masculinity and mental health.
This piece depicts a man transitioning from who he was to who he wants to become. He was hardened by his upbringing in order to make him brave and emotionless so that he could weather any challenge and conquer any odds, but this had a cost. In order to become a fearless warrior this man learned not to feel. He suppressed his emotions, he ignored pain, and he refused to let down his guard in fear of compromising his masculine persona. He was told over and over again that this world was harsh and unforgiving so he needed to mimic these traits in order to get ahead.
Eventually he reached a breaking point because of the daily pressures he felt from his family, friends, and the society that surrounded him. He couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and mundane tasks caused him immense stress and worry. This piece illustrates the tipping point where he starts to explore a mindset of vulnerability and self care.
The man in this piece is allowing himself to be flawed and broken so that he can reach out for help for the first time. Taking deep breaths he melds into the landscape around him and finally embraces the vulnerability that he avoided for so long. He starts to understand that being a warrior does not mean he needs to be so strong that he doesn’t feel rather it means that he needs to be strong enough to feel. Its natural for him to make mistakes, ask for help and feel sad at times. This is the beginning of his new journey towards self reflection and self worth.
I hope you enjoyed this in-depth description of “Unguarded” this piece has been sold but I have plenty other amazing Terra Human paintings in another section of my website. CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE!
Fall Paintings!
Hi everyone, sorry I haven’t posted in a while! I’ve kept myself super busy with new paintings that I would love to share with you right now! Fall in Colorado means that our aspen trees in the mountains begin to change and there is a small window of time to see them with their amazing yellow and gold colors. Luckily I was able to get up into the mountains on two separate weekends to enjoy the amazing views and take some great photos! These hikes and photos really inspired me to make several fall landscape paintings that showcase the amazing aspens we have in Colorado.
So here is my first fall landscape piece that I recently completed! I took the photo reference for this piece near Nederland Colorado around sunset time. I just loved how the aspens in the foreground framed the rest of the landscape and added a pop of color. I also really enjoyed how the clouds added some dynamic movement to the scene.
This piece is titled “Dancing Leaves” and is still available for purchase in my shop for $400. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!
My next fall landscape piece was also inspired by one of my photos near Nederland but on a different hike. The lighting of this one is very difference because the sun had mostly set behind the mountains at this point so there were a lot of shadows and just a few spots of sunlight hitting the trees. The lighting on this scene got me really excited to create this great piece so I hope you enjoy it!
This piece is titled “Autumn Sunlight” and has been sold to a private collector! Don’t worry, there are more to come!
Newest Commission is Complete!
Hi friends, so I’m happy to say that my newest commission is officially complete! This was a month long project so I thought I would break down as much as I can about it for you so you have get a taste of my experience.
First of all, the couple who requested this painting is absolutely in love with the landscape scenery in New Mexico so they sent me some photo options for the painting reference. I narrowed down the choices to what I thought would make a great painting and we eventually decided on the scene you see in the piece.
Once we all agreed on the image, I started to lay out my painting with an initial sketch to make sure everything was in its proper place compositionally. With the sketch in place I started to tackle this huge piece section by section starting with the foreground and moving my way back in space. A bing component of this piece was light and shadow since the scene takes place during sunset so I made sure to pay special attention to how the light was hitting different shapes and textures and then what shadows those shapes created. Another component that I really tried to pay attention to is the colors in this piece. Most of the colors in this painting are subtly shifted depending if they are in a light or shadow so I wanted to make sure the colors were accurate and vibrant.
The last major section I filled in what the sky so after that I when back into every area of the painting and worked on textures and contrast .
Overall I’m very happy with how this piece turned out and I really hope that the couple who requested this piece enjoys it for years to come!
New Figure Painting!
During my summer in New Mexico I was able to schedule a few photo sessions with a few locals, in hopes to add to my library of references for potential paintings. And this painting is the first result of one of those sessions! I really enjoyed working with Emma to create some interesting photo references for future paintings. I especially loved the photos near the end of a cliff that had an amazing view. I really enjoyed photographing her in front of the trees and plants that created an interesting and dynamic backdrop.
I’m planning on creating plenty more paintings from these photo sessions but I just had to share this great piece with you all! It’s titled “Finding Distance” and is available to purchase in my shop for $300!
"Uncovered Voice" A New Terra Human Painting
"Uncovered Voice"
I have finally finished my newest Terra Human piece! This one is really special to me and here is why. This piece brings an illustration to the concept of personal viewpoint. How every individual has a personal filter through which they interpret the world around them.
This concept has always been a background insecurity of mine, while growing up I was always worried that I did not have a unique way of seeing the world and therefor had no voice. Even when I created art I thought it was soulless and absent of a unique perspective. I remember expressing my insecurity about this to a friend in college when I was exploring the idea of becoming and artist after graduation. I distinctly remember telling her that I felt that every artist must have a voice to express their message to viewers and I genuinely worried that I didn’t have a voice to amplify through my art. I worried that my thoughts and ideas were not worth seeing on canvas and that I had no unique viewpoint. This friend reassured me that I did have a voice and it might take time and effort to find it, but was inside me. I listened to this advice and had faith that if I continued developing my skills and creativity I would eventually start to uncover my voice in my art.
And now I think I am at a point in my career where I am finally starting to discover my voice. I think this will be a lifelong process but I am finally starting to work through this insecurity and discover my window through which I see the world.
Thanks for listening
This original painting is available to purchase in my shop for $1800.
Click here to purchase!
Recent Sales!
I’m really happy to say that durning the Stanley Arts Festival “Winter Solstice” was sold along with two other small paintings to this lovely and kind couple!
In addition, “Dusk” was sold as well!
Stanley Arts Festival Recap!
Well it’s safe to say that the Stanley Arts Festival in Aurora, CO was our most successful festival yet! I was so honored to be accepted to this Cherry Arts event and it did NOT disappoint! There were so many friendly and talented artists that graced us with their amazing creations. And what a great location for a festival! It was so nice to have indoor and outdoor booths and a dedicated parking lot for artists.
This event was the debut of our homemade art walls and they worked great! They were not only sturdy but they looks awesome as well and served as a nice neutral backdrop for my paintings.
I choose to paint live during this event because I have discovered that people love that! Passersby were awestruck when they saw me at the easel painting away and it created some great conversations. I also couldn’t help but hand the brush over to excited kiddos who were inspired by art. They were all very respectful and honored to contribute to the painting.
I really enjoyed talking to people about my process both conceptually and practically. I also enjoyed talking to a current art student about an artistic career and what it involves.
As i mentioned in my other blog post we had some sales with awesome new clients who really understood my art. These customers deeply resonated with the themes and concepts in my work and were happy to invest in a few original paintings.
Overall this was an excellent festival and we hope to participate again next year!
New Washington Landscape!
Hi everyone! I wanted to share my newest landscape painting titled “Winchester View.” While I was getting married in Glacier Washington I was able to get some amazing photo references for new paintings! The incredibly dynamic and jagged mountain peaks were so inspiring and interesting that I might have to create a special Washington series of paintings! So here is the first piece! This 11”x14” original painting is available for $300. Click here to purchase!
How I Painted "As One"
Hi friends, I just wanted to share my process video for my newest Terra Human piece “As One.” This piece was a pleasure to create and i wanted to document as much of the process as I could so I hope you enjoy this compilation of all the time lapses I took!