Women in art are often reduced to objects of desire or stripped of sexuality to remain acceptable. I reject both extremes. My work exists where the body is whole—neither censored nor simplified, but presented fully and without apology.

Working in a data-driven corporate career has taught me how business operates, but applying those same metrics to art feels wrong. In this post I reflect on the tension between creativity and optimization, rejecting the pressure to chase algorithms or validation. Art, to me, must remain instinctive and necessary. Meanwhile, I continue the difficult process of mastering oil painting and chasing the certainty that drives my sketches.

Artists should strive to draw like a child. Confidence, instinct, no hesitation. In this reflection, I explore how early creative certainty shapes my work today, why mastering nature’s rules matters, and why true expression begins when discipline gives way to instinct. This is about reclaiming boldness, trusting the subconscious, and painting without fear.

A post with two, new, watercolor nudes.

There is nothing worth reading in this post.

Reflecting on recent feedback from an illustration class, I’m focusing on giving my figures more depth and physical presence. I realized I tend to draw in outlines rather than thinking in planes, so I’m returning to Bridgman’s approach to better understand form, volume, and perspective. This focus will guide my upcoming sketches, alongside a newly finished 24” × 30” painting, Pink Nude, coming to my site soon.

This post reflects on my belief that true passion is driven by the self, not by external validation. I question whether a passion would still matter if no one else were around, and conclude that mine would. I know I would always continue to paint and draw, regardless of circumstance. I also mention starting two new oil paintings; one completing my “Woman’s Journey As Christ” series and one simple nude, both currently drying.

I’m finally on a 14-day winter break and just shipped a private pastel commission. I adjusted the composition to better unify the figures while ensuring the woman remained the dominant, strong focal point, in the spirit of Gustav Klimt. While I enjoy the quick results of AI, I find the "empty" trend-chasing of NFT culture tiresome and lacking fulfillment. I look forward to creating more traditional work soon.

The past few weeks covered a full snapshot of my creative routine, including five essays on my weekday art process. I worked through graphite anatomy studies, AI image generation and prompt testing, and a freeform gel pen drawing session. All artwork is shown here, with deeper discussions and essays available to Patreon supporters, including exclusive content for Collectors.

Mid month creation batch update!

It’s been a busy few weeks, but I’ve kept on sketching. For my illustration class I’m creating comic series titled "Rent Is Due". It's a dialogue between two prostitutes in some sort of dated apartment where they'll discuss life. This is heavily inspired by Jeff Jones’ "Idyl" and "I’m Age" comics. I’m continuing to refine my anatomy studies, starting a Europe-inspired oil painting, and reflecting on AI art for a future essay.

A return visit to the Rijksmuseum leaves new impressions: Frans van der Mijn’s imagined Portrait of a Young Woman reflects true understanding over imitation, Jan de Baen’s The Corpses of the DeWitt Brothers exposes humanity’s cruelty, and Annie Roland Holst-de Meester’s haunting self-portrait proves quiet beauty can outshine violence.

Quick creation drop from The Netherlands.

"Exploring comics for George Pratt's class, diving deeper into writing my graphic novel, and reflecting on the tension between creating art for myself versus the pressures of social media."

Progress update on my 'opposite of Son' oil painting, upcoming SmArt School classes, and the early stages of my graphic novel project. Exploring new art ideas, themes, and future plans.

Here we go; everything I worked on over the past Labor Day weekend & vacation. The Black Cat digital drawing is going to be the digital print of the month for my collector's tier subscribers. In case you didn't see; I added an extra subscription tier for my Patreon. The main difference is that it will include a large, hi res, monthly, digital drawing that subscribers can make their own prints of or do whatever they want with. There will also be videos exclusive to that tier a

Life’s been busy, but I’m grateful my art isn’t burdened by hardship or forced commissions. I’ve been exploring Procreate for color and convenience, while staying rooted in traditional methods. Balancing both, I’m aiming to create more content for my Patreon and beyond.

Sketches, experiments, and my first digital piece are in this mix as I prepare for future NFT projects. I’m learning Procreate while keeping my process rooted in traditional methods!

I’m expanding beyond originals into prints, digital art, NFTs, and even AI collaborations. I’m also planning a curated newsletter, reviving my art Discord, and updating my website and Patreon—all part of building a stronger, more adaptable art business.