>> I LIKE TO PAINT PLACES THAT I'M CLOSE TO, THAT I KNOW.

WHEN IT'S RAINING I LIKE TO PAINT REFLECTIONS SO I WILL GO IN THE SHORT NORTH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH MY CAMERA.

I WILL GO GET A BUNCH OF REFERENCE SHOTS OF AREAS OF TOWN THAT I THINK ARE ICONIC AND KIND OF RESONATE WITH ME OR I HAVE HAD A GOOD EXPERIENCE AT.

I FOCUS MOSTLY ON LIKE NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE SHORT NORTH, CLINTONVILLE, GERMAN VILLAGE, AREAS WHERE I SPEND A LOT OF TIME.

FOR SOME OF MY PHOTOS I WILL ASK LIKE A BUILDING OWNER IF I CAN GO AND GET REFERENCE SHOTS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FOLKS AT THE HILTON LET ME GO ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE HOTEL TO GET SOME REFERENCE SHOTS.

I DO USE ALL OF MY OWN LIKE ORIGINAL PHOTOS, IT'S NOT A DRONE OR ANYTHING, I WILL GO HIGH UP AND GET PHOTOS, IF I CAN GET THE TOP STORY OF A BUILDING OR ON A ROOFTOP.

THE VIEW FROM THE JOSEPH IS FROM THE TOP FLOOR OF THAT HOTEL AND THE MIDDLE ONE IS FROM THE CATWALK IN BETWEEN THE HILTON AND THE CONVENTION CENTER.

WHEN I GET HOME I KIND OF LOOK THROUGH THOSE AND PIECE THEM TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT I KIND OF WANT TO BUILD FROM THERE, AND THEN, YEAH, I JUST KIND OF SELECT A FEW AND JUST SKETCH THEM OUT AND WORK FROM THERE.

SO I USUALLY LIKE TO START WITH A BASIC GRID JUST TO GET THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE SO I DON'T REALLY COMPLETELY OVERWORK IT AND REDRAW IT.

LIKE THE UNDERDRAWING IS REALLY JUST A SUGGESTION AND SOME GUIDELINES, BUT I LIKE TO MAKE SURE I GET THE PERSPECTIVE LIKE PRETTY ACCURATE, JUST TO GIVE MYSELF KIND OF A HEAD START.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE USE GRIDS, SOME PEOPLE ARE OPPOSED TO THEM.

I REALLY LIKE IT JUST BECAUSE IT HELPS ME GET A FRAME OF REFERENCE AND GET THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE FROM THE GET-GO.

THEN I COMPLETELY PAINT OVER IT.

I ALSO LIKE TO TONE MY CANVAS EITHER LIKE A BURNT SIENNA OR A GRAY OR RED, JUST AS AN INITIAL BASE LAYER TO START THE PALLET AND SET THE TONE.

SOMETIMES I WILL PAINT THE SAME SCENE MULTIPLE TIMES WITH DIFFERENT PALLETS, JUST TO REALLY EXPLORE WAYS OF STUDYING COLOR.

[ MUSIC ] FOR ME LIGHT, SHADOW, COLOR PERSPECTIVE ARE ALL REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE PAINTING AND I DO PLAN OUT MY COLOR PALLETS PRETTY INTENTIONALLY.

FOR SOME I CHOOSE A MORE LIMITED COLOR PALLET.

IF IT'S LIKE A MOODIER SCENE OR LIKE A DAY SCENE WHERE IT'S REALLY RAINY.

FOR SOME LIKE AT NIGHT IN THE SHORT NORTH ESPECIALLY, IT'S REALLY VIBRANT AND ENERGETIC SO I WILL USE SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPRESSIVE, JUST TO KIND OF CONVEY THE ENERGY AND THE MOOD.

I AM REALLY INTERESTED, TOO, IN LIGHT TEMPERATURE, THERE'S DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES FROM A COOL LIGHT VERSUS A WARM LIGHT, SO IT'S REALLY FUN TO CONVEY LIKE WARM LIGHT FROM AN INTERIOR VERSUS LIKE COOL LIGHT FROM A STREETLIGHT.

THOSE ARE JUST THINGS I LIKE TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND THE LITTLE DETAILS THAT ARE REALLY REWARDING FOR ME.

I FIGHT WITH IT A LITTLE IN THE BEGINNING AND REALLY JUST FIGURING OUT THE RIGHT BALANCE OF WARM, COOL, LIGHT, DARK.

I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT REALLY A STRUGGLE BUT IT IS.

IT'S KIND OF THE PROBLEM SOLVING AND STRIKING A BALANCE.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S WHAT'S REWARDING ABOUT IT TO ME.

WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY IS THE CONNECTION TO A PLACE AND A SPACE.

I WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SAME CONNECTION AND THE SAME WARM FEELINGS.

LIKE COLUMBUS IS A BIG SMALL CITY, SO A LOT OF THE PLACES I PAINT PEOPLE HAVE A CONNECTION TO AND KNOW SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY IS JUST THE WARMTH AND SENSE OF PLACE.

COLUMBUS IS JUST A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO GROW AS AN ARTIST AND THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO SHOW YOUR WORK AND REALLY ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.