Bio

Growing up on the East End of Long Island, New York has definitely shaped who I am as an artist.  I grew up on the beaches of Long Island, surfing, lifeguarding, free-diving and exploring the world around me, both above and below the surface of the ocean.  At a very young age it was instilled in me that our surroundings help to define who we are and what we become, and the knowledge to appreciate and care for nature is something that stuck with me throughout my life.

The majority of my work is inspired by my obsession with Mother Nature and the ocean.  Gauguin’s use of bright colors and Klimt’s use of flowing organic shapes along with the fluidity of their styles have also played a large role in my own approach towards art.  My artwork begins with  inspiration from realistic situations and/or life-like objects or materials, yet the finished product is more of an abstracted representation of my prospective and vision.  I really got into the print making, Japanese wood-block, linoleum-cut style in college and have pretty much kept running with that since.  A lot of my images start off as a sketch or drawing which I transfer onto wood or linoleum then carve to produce my block.  I then roll ink or paint onto the carving so I can make a print of that image onto paper or whatever material I’m working with.  This  style helps me to create an image which is more abstract and flat then my original sketch.  I use a similar method when making my Gyotaku, or "fish rubbing" prints.  In this process I paint directly onto fish that I catch while free diving, take a print of that, and then work back in with ink to accentuate the piece and make it more detailed.  Both the print making and Gyotaku designs transfer well into the silk screening process, which I use to create my original clothing.