I create art that represents the beautiful in nature. I do this because I enjoy the therapeutic value of art that helps me with my PTSD.
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I enjoy creating oil paintings that represent my love of nature. I like oils because the colours can be mixed on the canvas and applied with depth and feeling. My other artistic love is sculpture. I mostly create sculptures out of recycled metal or wood. On the metal side, I create sculptures out of recycled metal pieces that were destined for the scrap yard because I believe something beautiful can be made from “garbage metal”. In wood, I enjoy taking natural forms and creating beauty.
Where do you find inspiration?Mostly I find inspiration in nature. I find that sharing my love of the mountains, the temporal rain forest and the ocean with people through my art brings me joy and is very therapeutic for my PTSD. I also enjoy painting old buildings such as barns, farm houses and grain elevators. On the other side, my art is a reflection of my 35 years of military service. After serving 2 tours in the Persian Gulf, and a tour in Afghanistan, there is a story that needs to be told so that people remember.
What would you do with $25,000?The $25,000 will be used to further my artist journey. I have just finished my Bachelor of Fine Art and Design at the University of Alberta and I will be doing the convocation in June. The money will be used to further my artist journey and experience so that I have the background to apply for a Masters of Fine Art program. I will be looking at the Italian Stone Project, as well as a residencies in Scotland and Ireland so I can paint the land where my ancestors came from.
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