ILLUSTRATION GALLERY

Drawing was my first venture into the visual arts world. My training in high school emphasized making accurate drawings from life. I learned the visual tools and cues needed to create proper perspective and proportions. I learned to “see flat”... the key to drawing from life. Seeing flat means being able to look at a three dimensional object or scene and see it in two dimensions, taking visual cues only from horizontal and vertical lines and shapes. It can be a difficult skill to master. Human minds are wired to see objects in a way that includes our memory of the object along with the visual representation of it. That is, when one sees a soda can sitting on the table, the mind automatically sees the entire idea of the soda can.... the fact that it’s round as well as tall and wide. It’s natural to want to try to represent the roundness when drawing, but the roundness can not be captured on paper by the idea of it. Learning to see flat means ignoring the idea of what an object is and seeing only the lines and spaces that define its shape.

In drawing, I have always been more focused on technical skills. In classes at VCU I discovered that I am weak in the areas of abstraction and non-objective subject matter. Pure shapes and colors created for the sake of shape and color always felt meaningless to me. If there is no feeling in the work, it follows naturally that the work will not be very appealing. This is why the drawing I do tends towards figuration and representations of human emotions and expressions.

I want to add, however, that one of my best friends is an artist whose natural inclination in the visual arts is minimalist and non-objective. It is through many conversations and critiques with him that I have achieved a sense of understanding and respect for abstract and non-objective work.