I’ve been drawing monsters and creatures for as long as I can remember. I think some of it began when my mom would read Where the Wild Things Are to me. Maurice Sendak’s creatures had a huge impact on me and became one of the earliest and biggest inspirations of my drawing life. The idea that something could be strange, funny, frightening and beautiful all at once stuck with me. I spent a couple of years heavily focused on this particular series, although technically I’ve been drawing creatures my entire life. I still do. I’m just not working at quite the pace I was in 2023 and 2024. These drawings also became my second solo exhibition, this time at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. The work combines ink and paint on many different types of paper. I especially enjoy working on very heavy 300–400 lb. watercolor paper. It can take a lot of punishment, which suits the way I work. I can build up blacks, scrape into things, layer paint and ink, and let the surface become part of the creature itself. Creatures give me a kind of freedom I don’t get from portraiture or landscapes. There’s no correct anatomy. No correct proportion. Nothing has to exist. You just have to believe that it could.
