Every now and then I like to take a break from my usual medium - oil on canvas or panel - to get back to my roots. One of the aspects I love most about working with graphite is that it feels inherently nostalgic. As an artistic, introverted kid, you could keep me entertained for hours with just a few sheets of loose leaf computer paper and #2 pencils. Now my materials are a little more sophisticated and professional grade. I still have that #2 (which actually means 2B) pencil - but it's supplemented by its HB, 4B, 6B, and 8B counterparts. 

I am calling this one "What Came Before." It is part of my ongoing series using the female form in various poses of struggle and combat to express and give shape to our emotional and psychological inner lives. Read more about that series in my recent blog post, "My paintings of fighting women: the origin story."