Emily with Lace Choker 2012? 19 x 15 in? Oil on canvas panel? Sold? Several years ago, I decided to consciously train in more traditional techniques and seek knowledge and skills that would project my work down a different path. I loved the play of creating a 3D form on a 2D surface. I essentially didn’t want to be a traditional artist but take those age old lessons and create something new and move forward.? ? My main bugbear with a lot of contemporary art is that a lot of it is created through a poor knowledge of the materials they use; powerful and engaging art is based on a foundation of a strong knowledge base and mastery of your materials. If you’re not consciously training and learning you are basically throwing paint against a surface and hoping for the best. Can you imagine what Miles Davis’ music would be like if he didn’t have a deep intuitive knowledge of scales and a strong sense of musical structure?