“Behind every good painting are miles of canvas”. I first heard this from Paul Strisik when I was painting one of my early paintings. That was about 10 miles of canvas ago.
Good representational painting is a long and challenging journey but worth every step. There are no shortcuts. Becoming a true craftsperson takes years of dedicated and continuous work. Any successful person (who isn't just lucky) will tell you it takes 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration.
But that’s the way it should be…if it were easy, everyone would do it.
That’s why I admire any person who is honestly trying to improve their painting skills by staying dedicated and persistent through all those hours of struggle. That’s also why I love to teach. I like sharing with others what has been shared with me. It makes me feel like I’m giving something back.
My teachers have included Paul Strisik, Roy Anderson, Jim Wilcox, Michael Lynch, Matt Smith, Robert Daughters, and Dan Mieduch. I am grateful to all of them for sharing their knowledge and skills.