Interview for Visual Art Magazine

Finding ways to share your art with a wider audience is not always an easy endeavor. Many artists face challenges when it comes to getting their work noticed and appreciated. However, there is a silver lining: art journals frequently hold open calls for submissions, which provide a fantastic opportunity for artists to showcase their creations. These journals not only accept visual art but often include features such as artist interviews, which can further enhance the visibility of the artist's work and provide deeper insights into their creative process. I have taken the initiative to apply to a few of these art journals, recognizing the potential they hold for reaching new audiences and connecting with fellow artists. Each submission process can vary significantly, often requiring careful consideration of the theme, guidelines, and the specific aesthetic that the journal seeks to promote.

One notable journal that I had the pleasure of being featured in is set to be published in April 2025. This particular journal has a reputation for highlighting emerging talents and providing a platform for diverse artistic expressions. Being accepted into this publication is not only a personal achievement for me but also an opportunity to contribute to the vibrant conversation within the art community. It is exciting to think about how my work will be presented alongside that of other talented artists, and I look forward to seeing how this exposure may lead to further opportunities in the future. In summary, while the journey to share one's art can be fraught with obstacles, the existence of art journals with open calls offers a valuable pathway for artists to gain recognition and engage with a broader audience. I eagerly anticipate receiving the hard copy of the April 2025 edition, as it represents another step in my artistic journey.

Some of the questions and answers ...

What inspired your transition from the hospitality industry to the world of digital art?

After spending over four decades in the dynamic and demanding restaurant industry, I made the conscious decision to step back from the daily grind of operations. This choice was driven by a desire to slow down, rediscover my creative spark, and embark on the next phase of my personal and professional journey. The transition from the role of a restaurateur to that of a digital artist was not merely a change in the tools and materials I used; it represented a profound shift in how I channeled and expressed my creativity. In the restaurant world, success was often measured in immediate, tangible responses: the visible delight of a customer taking their first bite, the contented sigh after tasting a perfectly paired wine. The feedback was instant and gratifying. Digital art, on the other hand, requires a different kind of patience and a different set of expectations. The satisfaction derived from creating digital art does not stem from immediate reactions or external validation but rather from a deeper, more introspective process of contemplation. It's about the personal journey of creation and the meaning imbued in the work itself.

While I still maintain an active presence in the restaurant industry, my primary role and identity have shifted. I now see myself predominantly as the founder and partner of these establishments, but also, importantly, as their resident artist. This new identity allows me to merge my past experiences with my newfound passion, creating a unique synergy between the culinary world and the digital art realm.

You mentioned that traditional mediums like paintbrushes and charcoal never fully resonated with you. Can you

elaborate on why digital art felt like the right medium for you?

Traditional artistic mediums like drawing and painting never quite clicked for me despite multiple attempts. I wanted to be an artist but struggled with the patience required to master these conventional techniques, which led me to explore mixed media, collage, and photography instead—creative outlets that felt more accessible and aligned with my abilities.

When I first discovered AI-generated art, it was a revelation—finally, a medium that could bridge the gap between my creative vision and technical execution. What excites me most about digital art is the dynamic collaboration between human intuition and artificial intelligence. With AI tools, I can experiment with any artistic technique, style, material, or color, creating endless variations without the technical limitations I experienced with traditional media. Yet the process remains deeply personal and creative; it's still the curator in me who evaluates, selects, and shapes which pieces to share, ultimately crafting the final narrative. This partnership between technology and human aesthetic judgment has opened artistic doors I once thought were closed to me.

Your art combines photography with AI enhancements. What do you hope to achieve by blending these two

elements in your work?

Photography has been my artistic language since college—a medium where I focused on capturing reality through my

viewfinder, creating art from authentic moments in time. I maintained a purist approach, never altering my photographs to

manufacture scenes that weren't actually there. This made the emergence of AI as a creative tool particularly transformative for

me; suddenly I could visualize and materialize images directly from my imagination rather than just what my camera could

capture.

When I blend my original photography with AI enhancements, I'm deliberately embedding my creative DNA into each piece.

This integration is especially meaningful amid ongoing discussions about authenticity in AI-generated art. By incorporating my

own photographic elements as foundational layers—like in my recent poppy series, which began with my flower photography

before being transformed through AI techniques—I create a bridge between captured reality and imaginative vision. This

layering approach allows me to maintain a personal connection to my work while expanding beyond the traditional constraints

of photography, resulting in pieces that are both authentically mine and creatively expansive in ways I couldn't achieve through

either medium alone.

Thanks to Visual Art Magazine for including my work and interview!

Here is the link to view Issue #22 online: https://visualartjournal.com/2025/04/04/issue-22-april-2025/