The Border Artists
Like most artists, I have drawn and painted all my life. I tried to show the world about me but mostly whatever I drew or painted had one or more people in it. I finally realized that my landscapes were only a background for the figure and I eliminated that part of the painting almost entirely.
I tend to emphasize drawing in my work. I admire the free-flowing brushwork of other painters, but, for me, the groundwork of a picture has to be good, solid draftsmanship. I do a lot of portrait work, but painting portraits has never gotten easier over time, and I can, and have, spent days over the expression on a particular face. The portrait painting of artists such as Goya and Burton Silverman amaze me because of their insight into the character of their subjects.
I am thankful for the fact that I spent time studying art in Mexico and learned to love the beautiful faces of the Mexican and Indian people. My children used to tell me that I could not paint an Anglo face. All I know is what moves me and how exciting it is to try and put that feeling down on canvas or paper.