About the Artist
My watercolor art is intended to evoke a memory, a mystery, or a moment. Mostly I use watercolor because it is simple to use, but difficult to master. Often watercolor seems to have a mind of its own, and that’s alternately frustrating and gratifying.
l use professional-grade watercolors and acid-free, archival quality papers to assure the work will last well beyond my lifetime. Thus insuring the future value of the work for collectors.
Painting watercolors since 1979
I started selling my art forty years ago, painting portraits of passersby on La Rambla in Barcelona when I was about 20 years old. Early in my career, most of my commissioned work was illustration.
After graduating from college with an English degree I became a copywriter. That career taught me how to listen very carefully to my clients, interpret their message, and conceptualize an idea. It also taught me how to edit, which is a difficult skill when everything I see interests me.
Limited Edition Prints
I make “Giclee” prints on Hahnemuhl etching paper using a 24-color Cruse to match the colors exactly. Printed in a limited run, each print is numbered and signed by hand. The image is matched digitally to the true colors of the original so closely that I myself have trouble telling the difference between the original and the print.
Creating a Portrait
How the personalized painting process works:
I prefer spending time with my subjects. A live portrait is well, more lively. However, if there’s no way to sit face to face, I will discuss the portrait with you by phone or a face chat.
Often I combine elements, referring to different photos to make a story. One client commissioned a portrait of his son and daughter-in-law on their wedding day. It turns out that they married in Paris in view of the Eiffel Tower, and had initially met on the Great Wall of China. So I added those monuments into the background. Other clients have wanted me to paint their home, and I have been able to remove trees and highlight the features they love, for a lot less than a building contractor would cost!
Sure, I can do your painting from a photo. However, nothing can match a live sitting. This involves me going to your location and doing some sketches in person (it takes about an hour or two). I then make a small study. If you’re happy with the study, you may purchase it. Or, if you want a larger picture, I would then get your approval to make the larger final artwork.