Charcoal is a very forgiving medium that allows my natural obsessive/compulsive side a way to thrive. With little to no anticipation of the outcome, I use the broad side of a stick of this compressed black dust and cover my entire drawing surface in random strokes. The fact that most marks made in charcoal are easily blended makes for a wide range of exploration. At a certain point in creating a piece of work my hand becomes my brain. It’s almost innate. There are incidents where I have been able to visualize the final work in these first gestural moments, while other compositions can elude me for long periods of time.