Your art features dynamic colors, unique technique, and familiar objects in an almost abstract style. How do you find inspiration to be innovative with your work?
My practice is all about finding the balance between efficiency and visual interest with my mark-making. I want my works to be minimalistic without being boring, so exploring that edge is something that I engage with in every piece I make. An artist’s style comes from their habits, and habits come from practice— so I feel like my personal innovation is the continual refinement of my signature style as I try to apply it to new subjects.
If you could give advice to yourself when you first became an artist, what would you say?
To hang in there! It truly took me years and years to catch my stride and begin to feel satisfied with my work. I think it’s easy to get frustrated with your progress in the early stages of your art career— it takes time, and that’s okay.
Do you have any ‘studio hacks’ that you’d like to share? Specific items you repurpose, helpful tips or things to remember?
I’m all about quick setup and quick cleanup— for example, using wax paper taped to cardboard as a palette. This has helped me be significantly more productive, and also puts less pressure on my paint sessions— I can work for 20-30 minutes just to get an idea out there, and I don’t feel guilty about wasting set-up time or expensive resources.
Do you have a typical routine when you start a new piece or begin a day in the studio?
When I have a full day in my studio, I try to finish one in-progress painting and get halfway through a new one. Since my process is relatively quick, I can often finish a piece in a single day— so staggering them this way forces me to stop halfway through each one, take a breather, and return with fresh eyes the next day. Being a full-time artist includes a lot of administrative tasks too, so another big part of my day is keeping up with my emails, online store, and other rolling projects.
What is your favorite Liquitex item in your studio and how do you use it?
The Soft Body Acrylic is my bread and butter— the texture is so smooth, it takes almost no time to get it prepped to apply to my wood panels. The higher pigment load also means fewer coats, which lets me move through my projects without a lot of waiting around for layers to dry.
