Thoughts from the Artist...

One of the most difficult parts of the process of creating a lasting and quality piece of artwork is the final step of choosing the right frame! Why does the right frame matter so much? Below I outline a few of the most important reasons the right frame is vital to your overall satisfaction of your piece of artwork: 1. The right frame sets the tone for the entire piece!  I’ve found that graphite pencil artwork can be some of the most challenging artwork to frame because there is obviously no color in the image to pull from. Colored pencil...

I’m often asked how I find the time to create art in the midst of all the other things I am involved in. My answer is usually the same: I have quiet hours between nine in the evening and midnight. In other words, I find the time to do the things I want to do because I believe it matters. Persistence gets it done. And a whole lot of grace and favor (more on that later).  I have several KEY PRINCIPLES I’ve discovered - but you’ll have to read to the end to understand why they work for me (and...

If you’re anything like me, there are people in your life that are really difficult to give gifts to. I’ve wandered store isles (usually at the last minute!) and scoured the Amazon website going through countless products looking for something that’s just right - only to come up lacking. They don’t need another gadget. I don’t know their clothing size. I don’t want to contribute to next year’s garage sale. Some things seem contrived, while other things are a waste. Sometimes it doesn’t convey the value I want to express to the person I’m giving to. What do you give...

The first drawing I ever did was of a bugling bull elk.  I grew up loving elk because my dad hunted them - I always saw hunting magazines around and was used to my dad practicing his elk calling through the summer.  I ate up stories of the one that got away. And when I had the chance to hunt them they had become so mythical and powerful in my mind I had nightmares in the days before the hunt of making one angry and their eyes turning fiery red! When I finally did get to see elk in person,...