Philosophy

The source of inspiration for my work comes from the essence of the objects and events which I observe about me. I perceive this essence as a dynamic energy, changing and flowing as life moves from one stage to another. My paintings are not representational images of tangible forms, rather they are expressions of my emotions as they are influenced by the impressions I receive from events I experience and my environment, the essence of my surroundings. As the energy of the event or environment changes, my perception of it changes also, and the corresponding alteration of my emotional state determines what colors, shapes, markings and materials I use to convey my feelings as energy passes through my consciousness. I become a filter, distilling the essence of the energy and transferring it to the painting surface by whatever means seem dictated by the process of working.

The style and techniques I utilize in translating my feelings to images have grown from within myself as a result of my emotional response to my work and my life's experiences. The actual source of the energy that inspires me and the effect that my work has on other people is not my primary concern in creating my art. While I am pleased when people find something beautiful in my work that they can relate to, my purpose for creating is not for their pleasure but for the visual expression of my feelings.

Day to day we experience life. We learn, grow and pass on to new levels of consciousness. From childhood to adulthood we mark our significant experiences as moments that we observe by performing ritual ceremonies: birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc. These are our rites of passage. As I experience the changes of my life, I observe my significant moments in my paintings, and thus each piece of work becomes my own "Rite of Passage".