What did you do before becoming a full-time artist?
I was a photographer before I became a painter. I also taught photography.
When did you decide to be an artist?
I wanted to be an artist from a very early age. I went to art classes that my mother organized and I really enjoyed them. I liked painting thickly. I loved having big, goopy bits of paint on the canvas, and then mixing lots of paint together. I remember my art teacher was annoyed with me because he thought I was wasting a lot of paint.
Do you think your style has changed since then?
Yes, absolutely. I was painting abstractly then. Actually at the time almost no one was painting figuratively [people, animals, landscapes].
What are your favorite art materials?
I have lots of favorite materials. I love oil paint and canvas, paper and watercolor, paper and pastel. I started with pastel when I was in art school. And then I learned how to use oil paints. And then, later on, watercolor.
How many pieces have you made in your time of being an artist?
Well, there's a lot of unfinished work that is just in drawers or in boxes. Maybe 800 pieces. Probably more, though.
Where do you sell your pieces?
I sell my pieces at Lowry Hill Gallery [recently opened on Franklin Avenue, next to Sebastian Joe’s]. I sold them at Groveland Gallery before that. I sold pieces in Rapid City, South Dakota, when I was doing work on the Badlands. And I sold some pieces in Santa Fe, New Mexico. And before that, I sold pieces in Prescott and Tucson and Phoenix, places in Arizona.
What is your favorite piece you have made?
Well, Luna.
And why would that be?
I just feel like I have her personality, and I enjoyed painting the different colors in her fur.
Do you still like color mixing?
Yes, but I'm much more precise and careful when I mix colors now than when I was 9 years old.
Finally, what advice would you give to young artists?
I would say the most important thing is to just stick to it, and I don't think you have to worry too much about developing your own style. Work with subjects that you care about. Developing a love of what you're doing is the most important thing.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Artists often talk about “subject matter,” and really the best way to think about it is “subject that matters.” What matters to you? What do you care about? What do you love and want to be part of?
Interview by Pepin Gihring, age 11
