When I was really young, I gravitated towards the visual arts first. I feel that's what comes most naturally to me. I've always had an immediate proclivity towards making visual art and I was a really tactile kid.

It's hard for me to say what would happen if I didn't go to art school. It wasn't that I learned any specific painting or drafting skills at school that I felt I couldn't have taught myself. However there is something quintessentially unique and important that you gain by immersing yourself in ascholastic and creative universe, and being held to certain academic standards while being surrounded by artists of varying disciplines.

Art came fluidly, so I was able to teach myself many of the things I thought were important by copying and mimicking my artistic idols.

I tend to over extend myself without really thinking throughthe realities of completing so many projects in a year, which generally means I'm going to be a little bit behind. I suppose that's the nature of the beast.

If you want to create something that's worth doing you have to self-edit from the get-go. You really must be careful and selective with whom you work, you must constantly ask yourself the hard questions about your art, and you must set a nearly unattainable standard for yourself.

Drawing from art history and mythology allows me to connect with viewers in a familiar, yet loose visual framework. Blending disparate histories and themes can give the overall presentation a recognizable, yet unique flavor.

Speak with your own voice and be as unique as you possibly can.