I was the kid who was always drawing in class and always felt deeply in my bones about being an artist, so it was perfectly natural for me to go to art school. In university I had been thinking of going into graphic design, but one day I happened upon a student illustration show on campus. Seeing the gorgeous work on the walls was like hitting a brick wall at intense speed. The shock and emotional response made me realize that I needed to put my focus into creating pictures and telling stories.

Style varies from project to project based on subject matter and what the art director is shooting for. Much of what I do has been for children, but it can be also be dark or quirky with a whimsical weirdness to it. The common thing that links my work is that they tell stories some way. Style is the way in which I choose how to tell the story in the most appropriate way.

Research! Oftentimes I'll receive a manuscript or a topic which requires delving deeply into the subject matter to gather reference and other visual information. This is almost my favorite part because it allows me to keep learning about all kinds of different subjects which is deeply rewarding for me. From there I'll start drawing out small thumbnails of designs or compositions to start the brainstorming process. Once I come up with a basic thumbnail that captures something, I'll scan it and work on it some more within Photoshop which allows me to make quick changes. When I'm happy with this phase I'll enlarge the sketch, print it, and start drawing over the print with translucent paper to tighten up the sketch.

Lately I've been painting digitally for efficiency, so once I have a finished drawing I will scan that back in. I'll do some small color thumbs within Photoshop to work out any color issues, and then complete the final painting digitally. If I do happen to paint the final sketch with traditional media, I'll transfer the drawing to a gessoed sheet of Rives BFK paper. I liked using that particular paper years ago for my paintings and it just stuck. From there I'll often mix different media to get the desired final illustration.

My personal work is more experimental and I've been using more traditional media to get back to my roots. I find that I tend to sketch more freely on just regular loose paper than in a sketchbook. For some reason sketchbooks have a "precious-ness" that can sometimes be inhibiting. I do have sketchbooks, but I find I have more fun and stronger doodles and sketches on loose leaf paper.

Years ago I used to love mixing media and I'm getting back into that. The computer is a fantastic tool, but I feel it can sometimes be used as a crutch. It's so easy to just change colors or fool around with levels, or undo your last step (or many steps!). I try to keep fresh and push myself by playing with traditional media. I think it's a good idea to always push yourself to keep from getting in a rut, and to make new discoveries. In the long run it makes you a stronger artist, plus it's fun! Lately I've been loving getting back into ink drawings and washes.

Not that much really. I think what can help someone who gets blocked is to include other interests into your daily routine, be it some form of exercise, dancing, reading, going to see shows and movies, hanging out with friends, etc. You can pull ideas from all your personal experiences which I find is true for myself. Be curious and observe. Keep a journal and record what interests you. You can write or randomly doodle. Keep a dream journal. Your dreams are ripe and overflowing with all kinds of ideas. If you're stumped, just take a break and do something completely different to reset your brain and let your subconscious work on it. I also like looking at other artist's work I admire for inspiration.

I'd like to write and illustrate my own stories and get them published, be it children's books or comics. The ultimate goal would be to create something compelling and tell stories that really connect and resonate with an audience.

Music is deeply important to me having also been a classically trained pianist. Different kinds of music often suggest to me a story, a mood, almost like a soundtrack to the illustration, and I often make personal connections to the work this way. I tend to choose the style of music based on the subject matter of the project. And this runs the gamut from thrash metal to bluegrass, electronica to classical, and anything else in between. Anything goes if it fits and resonates with me in connection to the art.

Always keep drawing and keep playing. Keep experimenting and make the work fun for yourself. Make sure to learn the business side of illustration - so important!