Self Taught

Often when I am asked how I became an artist I say that I am largely self taught. I would like to however give due credit to a few individuals who have given insight and advise and also support throughout my artistic pursuits. My friend Bret Johnson is probably one of my favorite artists and also a teacher in a way. He was there for me during highschool always looking over my shoulder and telling me what worked and what didn't and he would encourage me whenever I was down during a piece. He also explained technical aspects of the effects of light and shadow and also means of color mixing and brush control. Gordon Dzierzon is also an artist who has helped me quite a bit. He often would often assist me with maintaining an original edge when we would be sketching or painting with eachother. He also reccommended different ways to treat a canvas and structure a piece before I work on it. I also had a teacher in high school named Mrs.Berges who is probably the main reason I have been able to work with the sort of experimental freedom I embrace. When other kids in class were doing a color wheel or a landscape I was given lisence to play around with a sketch I did of a wave or create a self portrait that wasn't conventional. She would give me books and tell me about different painters and style's and we would have discussions about what it means to be an artist and to appretiate art. These are a few of the key personal influences I have had artistically and in a way when I say self taught it doesn't mean people haven't taught me and given guidance it means I've chosen those people and chosen the means to carry through with those teachings.