Materials and Processes

Thank you for being here! My goal is to create high-quality original artwork that's not only visually striking but also built to last. Every decision I make — from surface prep to shipping — is grounded in preserving the beauty and longevity of your investment. 


Collectors, designers, stylists, and home staging professionals can rest assured: your artwork has been created with the same care I seek out when collecting pieces myself. If you have questions about care or installation, I’m always happy to help. 


Below is a simplified overview of my materials and process.


ARCHIVAL COMMITMENT

  • I use only professional-grade, lightfast pigments — no dyes or fugitive colors.
  • Surfaces are acid-free and archival (cotton, linen, wood, or aluminum-mounted).
  • Paints are never over-diluted: water use in acrylics stays below 20% to maintain adhesion.
  • All materials undergo independent lightfast testing, or personal lightfast testing in my Florida studio.


SURFACES & SUPPORTS

Paper

  • 100% cotton heavyweight watercolor paper without optical brighteners for excellent stability and longevity.
  • Deckled, torn, or trimmed edges depending upon format.

Canvas

  • Stretcher bars are kiln-dried solid wood.
  • Canvases have a gallery profile, are back-stapled, and are primed with three layers of professional-grade gesso (unless stated otherwise, such as with raw unprimed canvas).
  • Heavyweight cotton canvas is used for some acrylic paintings.
  • Linen canvas is used for all oil paintings, or for visual texture with some acrylic paintings.

Wood & Aluminum Panels

  • Cradled solid wood panels are sealed with gloss medium and primed with gesso to prevent discoloration. 
  • Primed linen mounted to archival aluminum composite panels is used for oil paintings and select acrylic works. These are professionally framed in complementary plein air frames using flexible points (so artwork can be removed for custom framing if desired). 


FINISHING & PROTECTION

  • Acrylic paintings on canvas receive a protective isolation coat followed by gloss varnish.
  • Oil paintings receive gloss varnish.
  • Raw canvas works are either left unstretched and unsealed and designed to be placed behind UV-protective glazing, or they are stretched across stretcher bars and sealed so that framing is not necessary.
  • Paper works mounted to wood panel are finished with a museum-grade wax coating for protection from moisture and dust.
  • Paper works not mounted to wood panel are designed to be framed with UV-protective glazing. 


FRAMING OPTIONS

  • Canvas and panel works are offered professionally framed or unframed.
  • Frames are solid maple or plein air style, wired with corrosion-resistant hardware.
  • Smaller paper works are offered professionally mounted and matted with archival materials to 8x10” and 16x20” sizes, which will fit into standard-sized frames.
  • Large paper works are 22x30” and are unmounted and unmated. They ship with archival foam backing. This size is ideal for custom framing.
  • Float framing is recommended for deckled paper or raw canvas pieces.
  • UV-protective glazing is recommended for all paper pieces, and raw unsealed canvas pieces.
  • If a frame is purchased off-the-shelf, I recommend NOT using the included off-the-shelf cardboard backing (as it is acidic). 


SHIPPING & PACKAGING

  • All artworks are packed with conservation in mind: acid-free layers, minimal surface contact.
  • Stretched and framed pieces ship with additional corner protection.
  • Paper works ship flat in a rigid cardboard sleeve.
  • Unstretched canvas works ship rolled in a protective tube. 
  • Upon delivery and while indoors in a climate-controlled environment, artwork should be carefully removed from the acidic environment of the cardboard packaging as soon as possible.


STUDIO EDITIONS

  • Occasionally, I offer original works under the Studio Editions label — a more accessible line created with materials that don’t meet my usual archival standards but still reflect my signature style and craftsmanship. These may include:
    • 100% cotton paper made with optical brighteners
    • Linen or canvas panels with MDF cores
  • All works in this collection still use lightfast, professional-grade paints and pigments — I do not use fugitive colorants in any works I offer for sale.
  • These pieces are clearly labeled as part of the Studio Editions collection and are offered at a lower price point to reflect the materials used.
  • Studio Editions works may remain vibrant for many years — even decades — when displayed away from direct sunlight and excess humidity. However, they do not offer the same long-term archival durability as other pieces in my portfolio.