Why do you make art?
I have always drawn, for as long as I can remember. There is certainly a deep and instinctive part to my drawing. But with age, I’ve come to understand that it is a way to better understand the world around me. In trying to capture a light, a shape, a face, I aim to preserve that moment and state of mind forever.

How long have you been painting?
I have always drawn, since I can remember (maybe since I was four or five years old?). I’ve gone through various phases—pastels as a child, ink and markers as a teenager and until I was thirty, then I added pastels again. I began working with watercolor, which is now my main medium, about twenty-five years ago. I’ve never used oil paint.

Did you have formal art training?
Yes and no. I had a technical education in high school and college, so I took technical drawing courses. As for artistic drawing, I’m mainly self-taught. I took private lessons in watercolor and figure drawing for short periods.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
For much of my life, drawing was a fun activity, even though I approached it with a professional mindset. Today, now that I’m retired, I dedicate a lot of time to art and consider myself a professional—who still has fun.

Who and/or what do you look to for inspiration?
The world around me. Nature. People. Places. The masterpieces and the ugliness that humankind has managed to build—or destroy—over time, and how time changes all of it.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
If I’m drawing outdoors, I usually don’t listen to music—I prefer the sounds of the world I’m immersed in.
In the studio, I always listen to music. What I listen to varies over time. In general: jazz, rock, fusion, indie—mainly American and/or English. (Currently: Frank Zappa, Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile, CSN&Y, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Charlie Parker, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Chet Baker, Timber Timbre, and many others.)

Have you had a mentor?
I would say no—aside from my first watercolor teacher, to some extent.

Do you paint every day?
The thought that inspires me is the Latin phrase “Nulla dies sine linea”, which means “No day without a line.” (From Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book 35.)

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at once?
Almost always one piece at a time. It’s very rare for me to work on multiple pieces at once.

Do you create a concept piece first?
Rarely. Most of my works are sketches from life in a notebook.

Do you prefer painting in the studio or en plein air?
En plein air.

How many core colors do you use?
I like to use a broad palette, with particular attention to greens and dark tones. I don’t have a fixed or favorite palette. It also depends on the season, the place, or the moment.

Tubes, pans, or sticks?
For many years I used pans. For the past six or seven years, I’ve preferred tubes—for better quality, more flexibility, and better value for money.

Do you use masking fluid?
No.

When do you know that your piece is finished?
There’s no fixed rule. It depends on the subject. In general, I try to recognize when the composition feels balanced. A rule I always keep in mind is: “Less is more.”