Influences & Inspirations​

Considering my dual interests in writing and illustration, I have found that graphic design, whether in the form of a poster, magazine spread, or album cover, offers wonderful possibilities for word and image to coalesce into a message with impact. Design is truly universal, and imagery often confronts us, urging us to connect symbols with ideas.

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Among my inspirations are R. Crumb, Gary Larson, Chris Ware, Daniel Clowes, and Norman Rockwell. I’m also a huge fan of early magazine illustrators like Edward Penfield and Will Bradley, as well as Lucien Bernhard and Alex Steinweiss, art director for Columbia Records in the 1940s. The illustrative styles of Toulouse-Lautrec, Jacob Lawrence, and Edward Hopper have been influential as well.

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My passion for music, archaeology, and branding often show up in my artwork. Much of my work features remnants of pop culture, with themes infused of spiritual, chronological, and ontological motifs.

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My work is primarily created with India ink, and I often digitally colorize using Illustrator or Photoshop. Tinkering with this synthesis of hand-drawn sketches and digital manipulation, I continue to explore the rewarding, often meandering paths to visual narrative. I have illustrated two children’s books and exhibited artwork in New York, Chicago, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and San Francisco.