b a c k g r o u n d
Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming an artist. My mother was a fashion illustrator and a portrait artist, and I just loved to watch her work. There was always an easel or a drafting board set up in our dining room, when I was growing up! So it just seemed natural when I began formal studies in fine art when I was twelve years old at Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. Later I was awarded an art scholarship to Carnegie-Mellon University.
For the past decade, my work has been focused on the figure. Through years of weekly drawing classes and model sessions, I have developed an artistic voice, an interpretation of the human form that allows for self expression. But I feel that my work will always be an ongoing process as I continue to experiment with the balance between line and shape, representation and abstraction.
a r t i s t s t a t e m e n t
A passion for figure drawing is the foundation for my richly textured oil and mixed media paintings. I focus on gesture and clean compositions to create a dream-like mood in my work. I like to think of my style as a bridge between realism and abstraction.
The subjects of my paintings usually come from my sketchbooks, where each day I record my memories, dreams and experiences in the form of visual stories. I have this romantic vision of "the simple life," and a certain humility and gentleness often comes through in my figures.
Texture plays a key role, balancing the simplicity of the compositions. I apply layers of modeling paste, gel mediums, oil paint and acrylics with brushes, knives and rags to achieve depth and complexity. The finished effect of my mixed media paintings is an aged quality, like a fresco.
My paintings have been described as soulful and evocative. To me, they're simply compositions from the heart.
i r w i n
Country Summer, 30x30", Oil on Canvas
