Formative Inspiration

These artists are some of those who have inspired me with their artwork in profound ways. Their work continues to inspire me and probably always will. They have shaped both my perspectives and my work.

Dale Chihuly

My first romantic experience with art. I was captivated by his bright colors and light way back at about the age of 7. I saw an episode of Evening Magazine that showcased his work and began dropping his name on the playground. I was cool by association. I guess maybe things haven't changed much...

Gerhard Richter

Gerhard was the reason that I took an interest and began painting. His use of color theory, the creative way that he used his giant squeegee, and some of his thoughts were what showed me what an artist looks like when they have the whole package. Creative genius.

It was his work and some of the things that he said that led me to later understnd that abstract does not mean subjective. There are artistic things at work within an artwork just like the laws of physics work on objects in the physical world.

Jackson Pollock

To be honest, when I first saw Jackson's work I was not impressed. Later, after I had taken up painting for myself, I was far more impressed. It wasn't because of the "action" in his paintings, or even because they were revolutionary. I found Jackson Pollock in his paintings like a the meistro in their music, and hearing him talk about his creative process made him the one that I relate to more deeply than any other artist.

Mark Rothko

Mark's work emanates emotion like nothing else out there. It's an immaterial sense that is hard to put into words, but is very real. His work kind of proves the whole idea of what Abstract Expressionism represents. For that reason, I see Mark as the heavyweight of the class.

Cy Twombly

I can relate to Cy in that he didn't feel at home among artists. He felt more at home among writers. Similarly, I feel I mix better with musicians. My love for his work is not based there, however, what impresses me about him is how beautifully articulate his pieces are. He writes stories in paint that don't need any context.