After a friend suggested trying oil pastels, I fell hard for them, experimenting with many brands and papers. Eventually, I tried out the top-of-the-line (and pricey) Sennelier brand oil pastels, using only a few colors to begin with. This led to a series of paintings that resembled (at least to me) wood sculptures. I enjoy how the limited color palette forces me to just consider form, depth, and lighting, as if I were carving objects out of a block of wood. I also think these studies exhibit a raw energy and slightly messiness that brings them to life.