I have always felt a need to draw out my compositions in as much detail as possible. It feels right for my personality. I do it slowly, carefully and methodically. It is a graphite meditation of sorts. Starting out with a line, adding another here and there, recalibrating as I go along. Focusing on placement, eventually an image starts to form — the scaffolding so to speak. When the drawing is at a place where I have nothing else to add, I then like to re-establish it with pigment.
Applying paint has always held a spiritual dimension for me. Watching as the underdrawing is transformed into something new and awkward and full of possibilities never ceases to excite me. Each set of brushstrokes, each new color that I set down alters the overall development of the work. Ironically I feel a great freedom working within this underlying structure. Knowing that the image can be broken and recovered, over and over again, allows me to be playful and explore which is invigorating and essential.
The play between line and color is a constant in my work. It is difficult for me to separate them in my mind. Color can be seen as a line and a line can be formed out of color. They are completely interchangeable to me. Drawing with color is the most natural thing in the world for me to do.