Out of all the visual arts mediums, what drew you to this one?
Digital art lets me zoom in to individual pixels, allowing me to be crazy meticulous with details. I’m someone who makes up the image as I go, and digital art provides countless tools that make that process much more forgiving and streamlined.
Recently, I’ve made a big pivot back to traditional art. I love the accuracy and sharpness of a very fine-point pen or a super-sharp lead pencil. The tactile feeling of drawing on paper gives me a sense of satisfaction that a smooth iPad screen never could. The stakes are higher, and mistakes are more consequential on paper, but for me, the finished product feels far more rewarding.
What inspired your latest collection of pieces?
Many of these beings exist in their own separate continuity where Earth has endured multiple interdimensional and apocalyptic events. The planet’s surviving inhabitants are now changed and transfigured. Impossible beings of great power lurk in canyons, trenches, and mountains. I try to depict them as if they were being documented for study.
The beings themselves are inspired by what I see in my mind when I feel strong emotions. They often appear as animals or animalistic/demonic humans. Intrusive thoughts sometimes manifest as black, morphing snakes that strike like a flashbang or as looming, shapeshifting black clouds. The compositions are always in flux, sometimes morphing faster than I can keep up, evolving into new and different forms. I’m still trying to depict them as I see them in my mind, but these drawings are ultimately just snapshots.
My art may appear scary and graphic to others, but to me, it’s like writing down intense emotions on a page. Expressing myself through visuals feels more natural than using words.
Who/What has heavily influenced your work?
I studied biology in college and have always loved science in general. This fuels my obsession with depicting anatomy, specimens, and diagrams. That passion fuses with my other obsession—the supernatural. Astrology, alchemy, demonology, and tarot provide an endless stream of inspiration in terms of symbolism and pseudoscientific imagery. I try to take these inspirations and merge them with the new things I create, resulting in pieces of art that are often mysterious, even to me.
Artists like Wayne Barlowe, Kentaro Miura, Allen Williams, Tatsuki Fujimoto, Steven Zapata, and many others have shown me the caliber of art humans are capable of creating. It’s massively inspiring to know that if I keep practicing, I could create drawings at their level someday.
Steven Zapata, in particular, has deeply influenced my art journey. He dives into the philosophy of drawing and making art, and I’ve learned from him that finding joy in the process and confidence in your own decisions are the most crucial aspects of creating art consistently. I used to struggle with the expectations of others and worrying if my work was “good.” I’ve since learned to make art for no one but myself and to chase the joy of creating rather than the approval of others. Ironically, this shift has led to some of the work I’m most proud of.
