let's talk art

I wanted to talk a little about the work I do online.The lion's share of my online work is abstract( It seems to sell a little better than most other styles).The interesting thing about creating abstract art is that it is deceptively difficult to create a good piece without it looking like you randomly threw paint on the canvas.

When I'm creating a piece I start first by mentally dividing the canvas.By using proper divisions of space I can create balance and harmony in the painting.Many untrained artists add too many visual elements across the entire canvas giving it a busy crowded feeling.I like to use division of space and colour weight to achieve balance.

When I begin to paint, I visualize each subsequent phase of the process to ensure I achieve the desired surface quality. For-thought is always important and each element in the painting should have a "raison d'etre. Otherwise it will look like it was just plopped in. When a canvas is well balanced and harmonious a person may not consciously realize why the painting looks good but for some reason it feels right.

A little bit about myself

I'd like to start my story from the time i finished college and began my journey into the art world. I Graduated from Sheridan College in Oakville (Ontario Canada) in 2001 with a diploma in Illustration- Technical & Scientific. I was lucky enough to obtain work immediately as an architectural illustrator for a small company. Unfortunately my stint with these people was short lived as I was let go after 3 weeks as well as several other people. The real estate market was beginning to slow down and there just wasn't enough work to go around. This is the point when my freelance career began.

For a year I worked for companies like HMV and Home Depot, but it wasn't enough to pay the bills. I needed a part time job to supplement my art career. So i worked in an art store for 3 years while continuing to work as an illustrator on the side, until a chance encounter with my old art teacher would change the focus of my art career forever. I left the store and began working as an assistant for my old teacher who had become a very prominent artist in the last 7 years.

After 5 years as an assitant/apprentice I'm now starting my own fine art career. I have pieces in a couple of major galleries around Toronto but I've decided to launch my career online. I truly beleive that the online world is embracing artists and the old stigma of being an "internet artist" has faded. For now the lion's share of my artwork can be seen at my eBay Store . I hope to chronicle my progress as well as share some advice with other young artists that are also on the same journey. Wish me luck!