Art takes me into a world with no boundaries. I paint because I love that freedom. I am sometimes inspired by the juxtapositions I see in my surrounding environment, but I always come back to the tension and vitality I feel internally when making the work. Contrasts of thick paint and fine line, of teetering shapes and solid ground, crunchy masses of marks within an expanse of color — these things excite me. This is what I want to bring to life. Whether purely abstract or semi-abstract, it is all the same. The experience of creating is what moves me.
This is a practice I have pursued since childhood. My first group show was in kindergarten. There, for Mom, Dad and the entire world to see, was my yellow drawing. I felt it was a masterpiece and I was pretty sure everyone agreed. Though the drawing is long gone, what remains is a memory of feeling peaceful and fulfilled. That visceral experience is what continues to drive my creative energy today.
