I am a full-time professional artist.
I work in multiple mediums, with my favorite being watercolor paint and pastels. Many of my artworks focus on wildlife, animals and botanicals. I place an emphasis on the sense of realism with bright and vibrant colors that entice the viewer to explore the world around us.
Charity & Conservation
Like many artists (and viewers) who paint and explore the natural world around us, I don’t wish to see it disappear or be destroyed. It’s common – to the point of being cliché – for an artist to work hand in hand with conservation and charity groups. However, it is important for issues to be bought to public attention and addressed. You can read more about this under the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Pastel Materials and Tools
Pastel Colors
I use Faber-Castell FITT Artist Pastel Pencils. I bought the full range of 60 colors in one set.
I also own the PanPastels Ultra Soft Artist Pastels. I bought the 20 color set in the Painting color series. These pan pastels are great for blocking in larger areas on the paper; much faster than using pencils alone.
Watercolor Materials and Tools
Paint Colors
I uses the Daniel Smith brand in artist-quality pigments. The extra cost of artist-quality is definitely worth the improved quality.
I use a limited paint palette inspired by the extensive work and colour study by the Australian artist Jane Blundell. Jane Blundell has also written an amazing book; it has 66 detailed pages showing the various possible two and three color mixes using my primary colors. It is by far one of her most valuable tools when it comes to painting. Why reinvent the wheel?
Paper
I love Fabriano Artistico, which is an artist-quality paper, in both hot-pressed and cold-pressed options. Hot-pressed paper makes the colors “pop” and look extra vibrant. Cold-pressed paper gives an extra textured appearance.
I prefer to work with the heavier weighted papers; using 300lbs or 140gsm to avoid buckling paper. I typically will work with the 12×18 sized sheets, stretched on Gatorboard prior to painting.
Palette
When I travel I use a Frank Herring compact palette. This is a great little palette that includes several wells for mixing colors, and takes up relatively little space.
My home studio palette is a large ceramic palette sold by Ikea. Ceramic plates are great at showing how the paint will appear on the paper since it spreads the paint rather than allows the paint to form bubbles of color.