"Senses Peaked"
Charcoal (22"x30")
Another piece inspired by my cat, Dora, this drawing is based off a photo I took of her while she was sitting on the back deck observing nature. This drawing was made with white charcoal on a black paper, focusing on the highlights of the cat rather than the shadows. In the photo, Dora had perked up due to a bird she saw, hence the title of the work and the emotion she is protraying.
"Helen"
Charcoal (12"x18")
Living on a farm, I was blessed to grow up with chickens and ducks. The most memorable chicken we had was Helen. This particular drawing is based on a photograph of her, and was created using white charcoal on black paper. A blending tool was used to created the softness of the face, whereas sharp strokes of the charcoal was used to create the feathers along her head and body.
"Buster"
Graphite (8"x10")
I was commissioned to create this piece for someone who lost this beautiful boy. Based on a photograph that was sent to me, I created this piece with different levels of graphite and a blending tool to enhance the smoothness of Buster's fur. For the grass I shaded the entire area and then erased in strokes to bring out the separate blades of grass.
"Country Life"
Charcoal and Graphite (22"x30")
This piece was created for a class I took. The professor brought in several supplies for us to utilize, and then we were encouraged to create a setup and then drawn it. I decided to go with a more country-looking set up, putting the skull as the center of the piece and framing it with a milk container and plant. I mainly used graphite pencils to achieve the look, but used charcoal to create the dark fabric behind the skull.
"Summer Peace"
Graphite (16"x12")
This was another commission I was given for a dog that passed away. Based on an image sent to me, I used graphite pencils to achieve the depth and texture of the fur and couch. I used an eraser to help with the highlights and lighter parts of this piece, and a blending tool for the more smooth parts.