When I was eight years old, my father drew a picture of a teenage devil. I picked up the drawing and drew it also and my drawing looked better than his. That was the first time I understood what art really is.

I love colors, especially pastel colors, and texture. I like to use graphite and charcoal, too, because I think black and white gives a picture more of a real look. I love the planning that goes into making a picture come complete.

When I do art, I focus totally on it and forget about everything else. I love the time by myself. I might have problems bothering me but I don’t think about them when I’m doing art. It’s like fishing for me, like being one with nature. That’s why I love still-life. It has to do with nature and you can look at one small section of a scene – like a corner of a kitchen or half a table – and still make a beautiful picture out of it.

I do art for myself. It’s like praying. I get visions of how a picture will look when it’s finished. I believe these visions come from God.