Each time I create a painting I am conscious of the desire to tell a story.  This is due in part, to the fact that the artists I find most inspiring have been illustrators:  Maxfield Parris, Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, and Arthur Rackman.  In many ways, my favorite artist is Maxwell Parrish.  I use a similar technique of layering bright color.  His work also creates a delightful romantic sense of story.  Additionally, I admire the Pre-Raphaelites, as well as Egyptian art, which can easily become an obsession with me.

          My technique is rather unusual and has taken many years to perfect.  I begin each piece with a bright, vivid underpainting.  Next, I build layer upon layer of color and detail working first in acrylic and finishing with oil, until I have achieved a harmonious balance between tight detail and loose color washes.  This technique gives my work the sense of drama and mood I desire.  I prefer the smooth surface of portrait canvas; the rich quality of Grumbacher and Van Gogh oils; Liquitex acrylics; Grambacher Bristlettes; Winsor Newton sables; and three very old Langnickel Sunburst brushes.  I use Liquin for a medium and finish, which adds to the mood of my paintings.

          I have always loved fairy tales.  As a child, I was an avid reader and still cherish those wonderfully illustrated books.  If you look carefully at my paintings you will discover a whimsical touch of fantasy dancing beneath the surface.  Like Arthur Rackman, I enjoy hiding images within my pieces, whether personal mementos for a commissioned painting or shadows and leaves that magically transform into bunnies, cats or dragons.  My paintings ten to tell stories and the underlying theme always seems to highlight the magic in life. 

Ward-Nasse Gallery