I create pieces using charcoal to strip down my work to the basic elements of light and dark, texture, and above all, detail. While I appreciate using other media, working with mediums that limit my color palette to black and white is challenging. I see powerful detail in landscapes and I want my work to encourage my viewers to go out and observe the natural environment. The works of John Frederick Kensett, Thomas Cole, and Fitz Henry Lane influence my art’s aesthetic through the openness and freedom expressed in their work. My goal is to capture a scene that feels so simple, yet contains so much.