> STATEMENT
“I used to say I was born in the wrong
century. The way overly dramatic kids claim to be old souls living in
the present day, I was convinced I was secretly an impressionist
painter, meant more for turn of the century's demi-monde opulence
rather than today's world of animators, illustrators, and monster
movie artists. I didn't go to art school. I don't know all the proper
techniques. I learned color theory by doing graffiti, but the story
of the graffiti-artist-turned-fine-art-painted has been played out
since the mid-'80s. My own life seemed to be working against me. I
was convinced I should have been born in 1850.
Then I realized
that I was approaching everything wrong. I live in Hollywood, this
century's den of inequity and excess. I have eccentric colorful
friends that rival the models of Degas and Renoir, I spend nights at
Los Angeles bars that could rival those painted by Monet, and as this
is 2007 I have access to neon pink and hot orange that I imagine even
Van Gogh wouldn't know how to utilize. I am a contemporary painter
interested in historic themes. There isn't anything wrong with that.
I don't have any art school loans to pay back. I primarily paint
women because I'm tremendously influenced by Klimt - and really
focused on beauty.”
- Juxtapoz Magazine, October 2007