I always start my paintings in a somewhat traditional way, but with a touch of technology. I use my computer and photoshop to help me with the initial composition choices rather than doing thumbnail drawings or other hand techniques. Since I’ve worked on computer graphics since 1984, I’m very comfortable, actually, more than comfortable working online. Once I have the composition I plan to start with, I import the work from my desktop Mac to my iPad Pro and then into the Procreate app. I make a grid superimposed over the composition, a feature built into Procreate, that I then mimic those lines on the canvas using pastels. Looking at the grid and referencing the subject on the screen, I draw the outline of the flower on the canvas. Skip the digital part and you have an historic grid method of upscaling. It feels good to work in these classic procedures, even if now they come with a modern twist.

I began this daily journal in February, 2026 as I prepared for my solo exhibition at Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie, NY, from June 5 – September 15, 2026, my work for the group show at the Ceres Gallery in from June 23. to July 18, 2026, and my upcoming November 2026, solo exhibition in Chelsea, New York City