In sacred spaces 35,000 to 45,000 years ago humans first carved or painted wild animal images on cave walls. As one art critic noted, however, those cave images were ‘meant for the spirits, not for viewing.’
While techniques, mediums, and presentations have changed over multiple millennia, it is not coincidental that images of wildlife remain popular today. It is part of the human condition and testifies to the long and intertwined connections we have with nature in both sacred and profane ways.
I like to think of myself as a wildlife portraitist, maintaining the canvas of tradition begun on the walls of caves tens of thousands of years ago. While we may imagine wild animals as having pre-programed genetic behaviors, they display a remarkable diversity of behaviors and personalities both within and between species.
My guiding vision is four-fold: To make unique portraits that portrays in some sense an animal’s individual personality; to reveal behaviors or activities that are a blur to the natural eye; to expose those exquisite colors, details, and textures that nature abounds in; and most importantly, trigger an emotional and intellectual connection to nature. My art is meant for both the spirits and the beholder.
Selected works of mine are on display at the Avenue Arthouse studio and gallery, Louisa, Virginia.