Each painting begins with a question rather than an answer. My work moves from structure into experience—whether on canvas or in print.
I am not trying to reproduce a scene as much as I am trying to understand it—how it feels, how it holds light, and how it carries meaning over time. The process unfolds in stages, but it is not linear. Each step informs the next, and often sends me back again.
Exploration & Thumbnails
I begin with small, quick studies, asking an AI Image generator to convert my text to images, and also Pinterest photographs—all exploring composition, movement, and the direction of light.
These are not finished artworks. They are ways of asking:
Where does the eye move?
Where does the painting open?
At this stage, I am looking for structure—something that can hold the experience without over-defining it.
Structure & Underpainting (Acrylic)
The painting begins on canvas with an acrylic underpainting. Here, I establish the major shapes, values, and directional movement. The goal is not detail, but clarity—building a foundation that will guide everything that follows. Decisions made at this stage are structural. They determine how the painting will hold together.
Development & Layering (Oil)
Oil layers are introduced to deepen color, refine relationships, and develop the presence of light. I work slowly—adjusting, softening, and sometimes removing areas to allow the painting to breathe. This is where the painting begins to shift from structure into experience.
Light, Atmosphere & Resolution
The final stages are less about adding and more about refining.Edges are softened or clarified. Light is adjusted so it moves through the painting rather than sitting on top of it. I am looking for a point where the painting feels complete—not because everything is resolved, but because it holds together as a whole.
Varnish & Presentation
Once the painting has fully dried, it is varnished to unify the surface and protect the work. Presentation is part of the final experience. Framing is selected to support the painting without competing with it, allowing the work to live naturally within a space.
Each painting carries its own process, but the intention remains consistent: to create work that reflects how we move through place, light, and experience—
not as fixed images, but as moments that continue to unfold.
For a look at how these works are translated into fine art prints, see My Process — Fine Art Prints.