The very first influence that saturated itself into my psyche, and subsequently, my artistic interest, was cinema. Not only was I interested in the impact of film on culture, but the impression of art on film. The first film that inspired me was the second installment of George Lucas’ Star Wars series. I, like many people born around or shortly after the films were released, became fascinated with developing technology that allowed a new method of story telling with visual effects. It wasn’t until I had expanded my research in high school, and discovered the conceptual side of film making, did I truly feel a sense of direction and purpose. 

            Classification for illustrators can be a double edged sword. By falling under the umbrella of one title, you run the risk of limiting yourself from other possible avenues in your artwork. I consider myself, at heart, a realist, in two senses of the word. I prefer the look of visual accuracy to real life subjects, and I like to convey my characters and settings as though they could be people and places you may run the risk of bumping into when you’ve allowed yourself to wander. At the same time, I consider myself a surrealist as well. The hybrid of these two classifications results in a piece of work that you can relate to on one level, and follow into unknown territory on another. My conceptual work puts the viewer in a position to familiarize with an element of the piece, while challenging them to imagine something far greater by the nature in which it’s presented.

            The heart of my work revolved around the idea of the narrative. In creating the design and feel of the characters, I’m attempting to pique the interest of my audience with the intention of having them want to know more about these people I’ve drawn, and the context in which they appear.