Color, Mood, and Magic

Before I ever sketch a figure, I choose a palette. Color is the fastest way into a feeling — a painting can whisper or announce itself entirely through its temperature and saturation.

Lately I've been drawn to unlikely pairings: dusty celadon against warm gold, deep aqua against blush. The friction between them is where the painting starts to feel alive.

I think of palette selection as the first and most important decision in any new piece — everything else is built in service of that initial mood.