Artist Statement

In my latest series, entitled “Ink”, I am dealing with figures who have a large portion of their bodies tattooed. Part of the attraction to this type of work is the technical aspect. The subjects in this series have beautiful artwork covering their skin, and to capture it in a realistic way is a challenge. It takes an almost meditative approach to be able to spend the many hours required to get an elaborate tattoo down just right. Once it is done, it must be glazed and layered to make sure it looks like it is under the skin and not something painted on. I also enjoy figuring out the compositions for these works, making decisions on what the pose will be and what kind of setting will best showcase each person’s personality and artwork.

Another aspect of this series is a social commentary on people in today’s society. What kind of person gets much of their skin covered in ink? I am finding that there is a wide variety of people of different ages, social and economic backgrounds who choose to express themselves in this way. It is also interesting to see what types of images people choose, as no two are ever alike. What is it people want to say with their work? Sometimes it is a rebellion against conservative society, sometimes it is a love of decoration and beauty, some have a message for the world, and some do it for reasons they cannot explain—they just know they keep wanting more.