Always My Heart
Artist Statement
My first spoken word was not “mama” or “dada” but “dog.” Animals spoke to me early in life, and my first memories are of drawing them and writing stories about each into their images. The art I create now reflects that early connection to animals, art and words. Each piece is a pet portrait, which does not merely show what the animal looks like, but also speaks of the very unique life each pet shares with their human. Each portrait begins with an in-depth interview with the pet owner. I learn about their lives together; where the pet sleeps, when and how the pet came into their lives, and ways the person’s life has been impacted by the pet. Pets often live longer than a decade, thus becoming a silent observer to all the changes in an owner’s life. I always ask each owner what music they love, and it is ONLY to their playlist that I listen, the entire time I work on their portrait. This tells me what really moves someone, and this art is created with that goal in mind. I write an original phrase for each portrait, one that speaks to the life shared by pet and owner. The phrase is deeply meaningful and fits into the artwork stylistically. I refer to my finished products as “portrait-prints,” because they blend traditional painting with cutting-edge modern print techniques. I consider it truly an honor to create portraits of the pets people treasure (in many cases, a memorial). Early Spring 2016
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