One of the first sketches I undertook using charcoal, was this portrait of Admiral Nimitz, the comander of the US Pacific Fleet during WWII. His face captivated me and I remember when I first came across an article on this weathered seaman - I knew instanly I had to draw him. On my way home from school - I think I was about fourteen at the time - I stopped in at an art store and bought some charcoal drawing sticks and a blendind stump. This was going to be an experiment because I had never used these materials before.
    I can remember what a great feeling it was once I got into doing this sketch and realized that these new materials felt good and natural for capturing my subject in this manner..
   This sketch turned into a bit of an obsession and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. Working through the night was not something I had planned but the arrival of morning light saw me signing off on my first charcoal..
    It was this charcoal that Arthur Lismer was the most responsive to during my art school interview.