01 / FINE ART / PAINTING
Animal portraits, desert narratives, and moments that sit between observation and imagination.
I combine detailed animal realism with graphic systems of pattern, contrast, and scale. Close observation—including time volunteering at the Phoenix Zoo—meets the visual rhythms of my design practice. Dense brushwork gives fur, feather, and gaze a physical presence, while repetition and fractured fields open a more psychological space.
Current work
2026 · Acrylic on stretched canvas · 48 × 48 in.
A Sonoran rabbit occupies the instant before action, registering a snake reflected in its eye and an eagle approaching from behind. Fragmented fields, white pathways, and red nodes examine anticipatory anxiety, memory, and the body’s fight-or-flight response.
2019 · Acrylic on stretched canvas · 48 × 48 in.
A seated bear lifts one paw toward the viewer. Warm strands of fur emerge from a deep black ground, giving the animal both weight and an unexpectedly conversational presence. The portrait holds together close observation and a small, human-like gesture.
2018 · Acrylic on stretched canvas · 24 × 48 in.
An elephant’s face fills the composition, its creases and folds built from a dense vocabulary of light and shadow. The restrained palette draws attention to the surface of the skin and the scale of the ears. A monumental animal becomes an intimate study of texture.
Acrylic on wooden panel · 8 × 10 in.
Two owls emerge from a nearly black ground. Pale markings describe feathers, eyes, and slender legs while much of the surrounding space remains quiet. Their different poses turn a small panel into a study of companionship and alertness.
Acrylic on stretched canvas · 16 × 20 in.
A mother giraffe and her calf stand beneath a star-filled sky. The long vertical forms connect the animals to the constellation above; warm markings contrast with the cooler dusk landscape. Glow-in-the-dark stars give the painting a second reading after the light changes.
2019 · Acrylic on stretched canvas · 24 × 12 in.
An elongated neck and wide ears define this frontal portrait. Small shifts in warm browns and cream distinguish the animal from the dark ground. Paired with Male Gerenuk, the painting makes proportion, symmetry, and slight differences in expression the central subjects.
Acrylic on canvas panel · 5 × 7 in.
Two hummingbirds hover above cactus flowers against bands of sunset color. One carries a small flower, turning an encounter between birds into a tender exchange. Bright plumage and the extended wings keep the compact composition in motion.
2019 · Acrylic on stretched canvas · 24 × 12 in.
Curving horns extend the already long silhouette of the gerenuk. The frontal pose gives the animal a direct, almost formal presence, while pale facial markings stand out against the dark background. A companion to Female Gerenuk, it studies individuality within a repeated portrait format.
Acrylic on canvas panel · 5 × 7 in.
Two coyotes stand together beneath a desert butte and a field of stars. Orange earth meets a deep blue sky, setting a warm, close encounter inside a vast landscape. The scale of the land gives the paired figures a quiet sense of belonging.
Acrylic on stretched canvas · 16 × 20 in.
The flamingo’s curved neck folds back toward its layered wing. Pink, coral, and pale feather marks create an active surface against the dark ground, with the green-toned beak providing a sharp accent. The composition treats the bird as a continuous, sweeping gesture.
Acrylic on wooden panel · 16 × 16 in.
A figure in a deep teal outfit holds an angular pose, one hand lifted beside the face. Broad planes of color describe the clothing and limbs against a pale ground. The portrait uses posture, silhouette, and the spaces between the arms to convey attitude.
Acrylic on canvas panel · 5 × 7 in.
Two saguaros reach toward one another beneath an oversized red moon. Layered blues and a narrow band of warm horizon separate the desert from the night sky. The plants become a pair of figures, giving the landscape a playful, romantic character.
Commission · Acrylic on wooden panel · 8 × 10 in.
A white chicken and a darker companion overlap against a woven field of crossing lines. The patterned ground sets off the softer feather forms and gives an everyday subject a decorative, almost regal setting. This small painting was made as a commission.
2019 · Acrylic on canvas mounted to wooden panel · 16 × 20 in.
Light catches the rhino’s horns, folds, and rough hide while the body recedes into darkness. The close crop emphasizes structure and mass. Fine tonal marks turn an armored surface into a detailed portrait of a living animal.
Acrylic on wooden panel · 20 × 16 in.
A lion looks upward, its muzzle and eye catching the light. Fine marks in the mane surround broader planes in the face, balancing intricate texture with a clear profile. The dark ground makes the animal’s gaze and expression the focus.
Acrylic on canvas panel · 16 × 20 in.
A Weimaraner turns its face slightly upward, pale eyes standing out against a dark coat. Simplified patches of gray and black describe the head and shoulders, while a purple collar anchors the portrait. The emphasis rests on attention and the familiar presence of a companion animal.
Acrylic on circular stretched canvas · 12 in. diameter
A chimpanzee rests a hand across its forehead inside a circular field. The gesture echoes the painting’s title while the closely observed face keeps the encounter immediate. The round canvas gathers the hand, eye, and mouth into a compact portrait.
Acrylic on wooden panel · 8 × 10 in.
A tiger lowers its face to the water, its striped head framed by orange and white fur. Blue ripples break the still surface beneath its tongue. The viewpoint brings the viewer close to an ordinary, unguarded moment in the animal’s life.
Acrylic on stretched canvas · 20 × 12 in.
A tiny human figure balances above an immense whale rising through blue water. The surface divides air from the deep while the difference in scale turns the scene into an improbable encounter. A playful premise opens onto the vastness of the ocean.
Acrylic on wooden panel · 8 × 10 in.
A zebra’s profile emerges through white stripes on a dark ground. The marks describe both the animal’s anatomy and an abstract rhythm of lines. Light around the muzzle and eye gives the graphic silhouette a distinct, watchful presence.
Exhibition archive Shaneland Arts: Featured Artist, 2019
Explore original paintings, numbered prints, and cards in the studio shop.
VISIT THE SHOP ↗