I strive not only to give the viewer an accurate and familiar face or scenario, but also the experience of true recognition, regardless if it's someone they’ve never met, a place they've never been, an event they didn't witness or a loved one they'll never forget.
The human face is equal parts familiar and terrifying. The addition of a face to any piece of art can be inviting or distracting to the viewer, depending on how it's executed. Because the face has such a 'make-or-break' reputation in art, I've worked the better part of my amateur and professional career as an Illustrator and Portrait Artist, striving to master the craft and remove that fear.
My formative years were spent trying to get to know the people Norman Rockwell lovingly introduced me to, following the larger than life characters Drew Struzan immortalized, tracking the journey of each and every infinite line Al Hirschfeld charted, as well as counting all his hidden 'Nina's and dreaming new, elaborate dreams with Winsor McCay. Their familiar and recognizable work became my motivator for realizing the portraits and images I create, be it paint on canvas, scratches on various boards, simulations in a computer or etched in stone.