me as I’m navigating these first few years
of learning oils. I love it so much. It’s so
dramatic and entrancing.
Which old/new masters are you
inspired by?
That’s an easy one. My favorites from back
when are definitely Caravaggio, Georges
De LaTour, Gerrit Van Honthorst,
Artemisia Gentileschi, Simon Vouet, Peter
Your paintings have a baroque
Paul Rubens, William A. Bouguereau,
feel to them, is this a result of your
Pieter Claesz, etc…
inspirations from the old masters?
As far as contemporary realists go I’d say
Thanks. Absolutely. The chiaroscuro from
David Kassan, Teresa Oaxaca, Casey Baugh,
the Baroque period has become what drives Jeremy Lipking, Sean Cheetham,
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Grandma Lucy - oil on 8x10
Image courtesy of artist Christopher Jude Ranes
Jimmy - oil on 8x10 panel
Image courtesy of artist Christopher Jude Ranes
Once I knocked out a few of my own and
got my confidence up a bit I started to
branch out a little and that’s when I met
Ken Garcia. He was painting his wife from
life at a cool little place in Norfolk. Again, I
hadn’t seen things like this before so, again,
I started asking questions and attempting
it myself. They both remain friends of mine
and huge inspirations to me and my work.
Greg Gandy, Josh Suda, Jeremy Geddes,
Adam Miller, Rob liberace, Jeremy Mann,
etc… these lists could get long.
Do you prefer to paint/draw via still
life/models or photography?
Personally, I prefer to paint from
photographs. I know people will always
preach the importance and benefits of
painting from life, and I do not dispute the
importance or those benefits one bit, but
I have a very difficult time focusing when
I’m working from life. It’s very frustrating
and discouraging. Perhaps one day I’ll
fight through it, find my stroke, change my
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