Influences

Q: Influences — who or what inspires your work today?

A: I'm inspired less by particular artists than by ways of seeing the world.

One of my earliest influences was my father. Growing up, he encouraged me never to accept ideas simply because they were considered correct or widely believed. He taught me to think independently. Don’t depend on other people’s truths, and use my own brain. That mindset has shaped not only how I make art, but how I live.

I'm also drawn to people with big worlds. They exist everywhere, not just as artists, but in families, schools, workplaces, and small communities. What fascinates me is their refusal to be limited by convention. They remain curious, open, and capable of seeing possibilities that others overlook.

Ultimately, though, my greatest influence is truth itself.

I'm interested in the moments when something really genuine reveals itself. Sometimes, a person's character, an honest conversation, or an unexpected connection changes how I understand the world. That’s why I love to be out of my studio, or to have people come to my studio.

Then, with these experiences, drawing gives me the time and attention to recognize these moments of truth, and my studio becomes a place where they can emerge through conversations, observation, and the act of making. Those experiences continually reshape my work.

Rather than expressing ideas I already have, I use art as a way of discovering new ones.