Ink and watercolor studies drawn from life.

Each drawing begins with a black waterproof pen applied directly to 140 to 300-lb cold-press paper. I chose a black ink pen intentionally because it removes the option of erasing. The line must stand as it is made, allowing the drawing to reflect the immediate relationship between the eye, the hand, and the subject.

Watercolor is then introduced across the surface, often on wet paper, so that the pigment can move freely. Colors run, pool, and occasionally blend. I generally avoid using black in the palette, preferring instead to build darker passages through layered color. This allows a broader range of tonal shifts and keeps the surface visually active.

After the painting stage is complete, the drawings are left to dry completely, sometimes for up to twenty-four hours. As the water evaporates, the pigments settle into the textured paper, leaving areas of tone that feel almost marbled.

Like my photographic work, these drawings explore the relationship between control and chance. Movement, water, pigment, and observation come together briefly before settling into a finished image.