I have always derived my inspiration from nature and I create art as a way to express my love for the natural world, especially animals. At an early age I was quite taken with Henri Rousseau’s jungle paintings and, like him, I choose subjects that both delight me and capture my imagination. Through my work I try to display my reverence for nature, which is also reflected in my vegetarian lifestyle. Drawing natural forms allows me to really look at something and to stop and fully appreciate the wonder of that thing. I use a variety of mediums, including graphite, colored pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, etching and watercolor to create images that convey my love and respect for my subjects and that speak to others about the wonder and beauty of natural things.