"How
many different types of ice cream are there?"
"Are there more in the back room?"
"Does vanilla really set the tone for my mood?"
spaThese are the questions I've asked
myself while assembling illustrations and design for the slew
of publications I have worked for. Because of the inherent budget
of a newspaper, the illustrator must be diverse in their efforts
to depict a story. Freelance illustrators who work in one particular
style are simply not an option, so illustrators must wear many
hats. Although I have no formal training in journalism or illustration,
I have acquired these skills by submerging myself in the newsroom
environment. After all, journalism and illustration is simply
telling a story, which is fundamental to painting and drawing.
The works of Bacon, Fischl, Picasso and Rembrandt all exude these
qualities. They would make superb visual journalists. Conversely,
my independent paintings are a conglomeration of the sights, sounds,
and experiences of my life in New York City. The style is very
particular to my personality and tells the story of my life. I
am inspired by contemporary fashion, music and culture, which
I record through the use of line and color on large sheets of
chipboard. Most are realism in the sense that they are a depiction
of life, but I take liberties with distortion and color. I see
what I want to see and manipulate the image in a way I want to
see it.
