The fight for survival demands extremes and presents dualities. I begin by painting the eyes because of this. I believe the intensity of an animal’s eyes expresses the balance between the kindness and warmth and the cruelty and harshness of nature. The feathers, fur, and scales then get built up around this central focus. Reminiscent of 20th c. Canadian artist Robert Bateman as well as 19th c. American artist Alexander Pope, my style brings animals to life through their gazes and captures the vitality of the moment with detail, light, and shadow.