When painting landscapes, I like to focus on a single element in a scene, usually a very mature tree. Older trees have such character. Not in the same way that humans have character, but like humans each tree is unique, and some present beautiful characteristics such as gnarled branches, massive trunks, or a unique overall shape. Some look as though they are clinging to life while others show the marks of trauma from the works of nature. As an artist, I want to highlight these features, much like I would try to capture the unique character of a human. It’s telling their story in a single moment. In all of my paintings, there’s a balance to my thinking. Certain aspects of the scene may be abstract and minimal while other parts may be quite realistic and detailed. I think this gives my work a very unique look, which is important to me, as I don’t want to “look” like anyone else. As for inspiration, nature is my artistic muse: the colors never conflict, the lighting is never “off,” and patterns are almost never predictable. As Michelangelo so aptly put it, ‘Only God creates. The rest of us just copy.”