When producing artwork, it is easy to get into a routine. Comfort can become a great disturbance to the progression of an artists work. I believe that the artist must be uncomfortable and frustrated at times to create anything worthwhile. Without change, in art and in life, we become dependent on routine.

Because of my philosophy concerning art, I have worked with various techniques. Many of my series have come out of devising problems for myself. I set strict guidelines to work under in the hope of maximizing conflict. My past series have included the required us of nylon string, combining two paintings into one, opposing the rule of painting thick to thin, and using prepared abstract surfaces to draw and paint figures. Every series has given me new insight into the creation of art.

Producing all media from locally collected materials has become the central idea in my recent work. Using this approach, I wish to communicate the importance of connecting with our natural and local environment. Taking advantage of the renewable natural resources around us can greatly decrease the impact that we have on our global environment. Instead of buying canvas from a store, I cut down standing deadwood and process it to create a painting surface. Instead of using store bought paint, I am using egg tempera; a technique that uses locally produced egg yolks and collected pigments. If we all took something that we us in our lives and search for locally available alternatives, our environmental impact would be greatly reduced.
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