I create large-scale charcoal portraits of birds that emphasize presence, restraint, and psychological weight. Working on toned paper, I build form through controlled light, allowing the subject to emerge from a quiet atmospheric ground. My focus is on direct, confrontational gaze—moments where the bird is not casually observed, but encountered.

By isolating the subject and minimizing environmental detail, I aim to remove distraction and invite sustained attention. Much of my work centers on species whose habitats are increasingly fragile. Rather than illustrating narrative scenes, I approach these birds as solitary figures—watchful, grounded, and unresolved.

The absence of environment becomes intentional, allowing the viewer to consider not where the bird exists, but what it represents. Charcoal, with its capacity for both precision and dissolution, mirrors this tension. Edges are sharpened or lost depending on the emotional weight of the form, reinforcing a balance between clarity and uncertainty.

I am interested in creating images that feel still but not passive—portraits that hold presence and remain with the viewer beyond the initial encounter.