Figure drawing at a workshop in Spain
About:
My work centers on figurative painting as a way of exploring human psychology through mythic and natural symbolism. I work in oils on gessoed board, utilizing texture, negative space and design. My practice is grounded in realism, with subtle elements of transformation that reflect internal states rather than overt fantasy narratives.
Drawing loosely from Slavic and Scandinavian mythologies, I use recurring symbols such as trees, serpents, and hybrid figures as a visual language for examining identity, perception, and our relationship to the natural world. Nature in my work functions as an interior landscape, an extension of the psyche rather than a literal setting. The figures I paint often exist at moments of transition, suggesting vulnerability, self recognition, and the quiet tension between inner experience and outward appearance.
I am particularly interested in how people see themselves reflected in others, and how unexamined inner worlds shape perception. Rather than illustrating specific stories, my goal is to create images that feel emotionally resonant and open ended, allowing viewers to encounter something familiar without being told what it means.
Scale, materiality, and atmosphere are central to my process. I aim to create immersive works that invite slow looking and presence, images that feel timeless, psychologically charged, and grounded in the human experience.
date written 05/2025
Q&A
Where did you get your art education?
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design BA in Illustration - Graduate 2013
Art Camp with Titus Lunter, Month long online program 2016
Visual Arts Passage Year long program, primarily mentored by Edward Kinsella, Jan - December 2018
The Illustration Academy - Workshop in KC, 2018
Currently - always learning
Where are you from!?
Born and raised in Loveland, Colorado. Moved to the Denver metro area for college.
Seattle, WA?
I lived in Seattle for about a year in 2018, the most intense year . See my blog post about it! LINK
Where have you traveled in the past five years?
I’ve traveled to Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angels, New Orleans, Portland, all through the mid west road tripping with a band, and all over Colorado but still so much more to see.
Work?
After graduation, I interned at Direwolf Digital in Denver, Colorado. Creating digital illustrations for online card games. Additionally, I collaborated with a fine art company, Lynnel Art to Form with the owner Lynn. Together we created unique abstract, fine art for high-in and residential architectural spaces.
In 2014 I found my self in an unexpected place, a Game Development studio, Fuhu Inc. aka Nabi Tablet. The creators of the kids educational game safe tablet. At Fuhu I progressed from basic Unity art assets implementation, to creating the art assets, designing concept art, over all visual and game development. In fall 2015 , I had to say farewell to the Fuhu. And started working at Dire Wolf Digital August 2016 to December 2017 creating UI and concept art, primarily for their main IP, Eternal. As of March 2018 I started working for Wizards of the Coast as a UI artist on their Magic the Gathering Arena team. After moving back to Denver I worked remote for WOTC for a time, before I went indie to peruse my art as a professional.
What happen to the digital artwork!?
In 2017, in addition to working the full time day job, I worked tirelessly to get my digital illustrations to the level I wanted them at. The day jobs I have worked have all required digital skills from me. I wasn’t enjoying much of my personal work by the fall. I knew something wasn’t right. By the end of 2017, I wasn’t enjoying digital media too much. I just wanted to do a portrait oil paintings. It was there among other instances, I learned this is something I needed to be doing more of. Something needed to change. I was already sketching during most of my lunch breaks at work. Which brought me great joy. I started looking into online programs and mentor ships. I felt my process, approach was part of my struggle.
I finally enrolled with the Visual Arts Passage online mentor ship program. I went through the program for a full year in 2018, and went to their in person Summer Workshop in KC. Over time my eyes were opened. I saw that my deepest hearts desires could be real. Through the program I realized it wasn’t just process, but medium, voice, answering the question “why am I making this art”. They helped me find a direction to for MY style, instead of striving for an already popularized style. Which for me, fit my personality and what made me happy to create. I had and have never felt more excited to make art in a long time!
I’ll never say never to digital. I still use it for planning traditional pieces and creating products. However right now, I would rather make a mess with paint and all that is traditional.
I can’t attribute all this to the Visual Arts Passage though. It was also podcasts, like the great folks and community of 1 Fantastic Week. They have influenced me to “live my truth” over the years. To believe in my self and the work I make. Along with Bobby Chiu’s stream, over the years motivating me to hustle and to work hard! They helped inspire me to push through when some days felt more difficult than others.
Thank you everyone!
