As a child I displayed a talent for visual art. As early as Kindergarten I was known as the artist to my friends. My parents, recognizing my skill and desire, entered me into private art lessons. This continued up through high school preparing me for college, sharpening my drawing and composition skills.

My style before college was almost solely black and white, which helped perfect my drawing beyond light and dark space. This helped me learn to plan and design an image, to capture it in a two-dimensional plane, and to still have more than just a pretty picture.

While studying illustration at Central Missouri State University I began experimenting at length with color. This has been a passion that I will always find myself discovering and understanding more every time I look around me. The way light and color reflect from objects changed everything, even adding one dominate color to an image can totally alter the emotion of the picture. This has brought a new depth to my work I never thought possible.

As an illustrator I worked in all mediums, but watercolor seemed to be my strongest tool. I like how versatile it can be. I am able to blend, use soft or hard edge, and portray a calm and soothing, or bold intense sensation. Watercolors, along with my linear background, shape the style used in my paintings an portraits.

Commissioned portraits have become my main focus. This has enabled me to switch my carrier into working as a full time artist. I now work from my studio in Blue Springs, showing in galleries and placing in local and national shows. This has allowed my work to be viewed by more people than I could have ever anticipated. I belong to many organizations including, Summit Art, Greater Kansas City Artist Association, Kansas City Artist Coalition, Kansas Watercolor, and Missouri Watercolor.

I hope when you look at my portraits you not only see a person, but also feel the personality illuminating from the painting. The ability to capture the appearance of the person I am painting is a part of the work. For a successful portraiture, the nature and the spirit of the work must force the observer to begin to know the subject.

Web design by Sullivan Creative
Contact Sullivan Creative
Copyright 2001-2006 Sullivan Creative. All rights reserved.