The art in this gallery is part of a series of portraits I call The Silent Muse. In 1986 I began amassing a collection of photographs of stage actresses from the late Victorian Era. I was particularly struck by their very elegant costumes and melodramatic poses , and thought them to be perfect subjects for my colored pencil work. I have found colored pencil to be the perfect media for rendering subtle fabric textures, capturing the subtle gradations of reflected light, and for drawing the graceful, rhythmic patterns in long, cascading hair. Using the black and white photos as a starting point, I have tried to construct a world that combines the very realistic with elements of fantasy; the stained glass backrounds, or the presence of animals. I want each piece to be lush and romantic, focused on the very intense emotions of the subject.