We are all doing our best to exist in a world that we are not mentally or emotionally equipped to handle. Some of us refuse to acknowledge the permanent impact recent history has had on us, while others find ourselves unable to bridge the gap between our past and present identity. Feeling our inability to move forward in this perilous environment, we are left with no choice but to head inward.

This act of facing oneself, of discarding masks and confronting inner demons has been a central theme in both my life and work. My paintings have become a way of expressing emotions that I don’t always understand, of trying to reconstruct a sense of self in a world that I increasingly can’t recognize or relate to.

I believe that abstract and figurative are two sides of the same expression. They exist within each other, just like colors do, and they influence each other. It is only by exploring in every direction that I can truly reveal my inner life, however it ends up looking. Although on occasion I will work from an intellectual concept first, for the most part the art I make is about portraying a moment, an emotion, creating a world and opening up my life to the canvas.

Experimentation is essential for me, both to hone the language of my work and to maintain the sense of wonder that keeps it alive. After many years of working exclusively in oil, recently I have enjoyed integrating new mediums, such as acrylic and acrylic spray paint, and new methods such as pouring, throwing, painting with oil sticks and incorporating words. Although oil remains my primary medium, I look forward to further expanding my creative arsenal in the future.

My process is never the same, but the paintings that begin in abstraction tend to arise from a spontaneous physical gesture, an attempt to unleash something immediate. This is then developed in color, shape, and form, sometimes painted over in numerous layers as it evolves over years, in other cases left alone after the first session. Eyes and hands are represented often; I am naturally drawn to their expressiveness. I also frequently utilize self-portraiture. To borrow the words of Frida Kahlo, “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.” And, “I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better.”

Some of my greatest painting inspirations include Matisse, Kandinsky, Picasso, Cézanne, Miró, Lautrec, DeKooning, Gauguin, Basquiat, Munch, Gorky, Schiele, Hokusai and Van Gogh. Like these artists, I aim to share experiences with the audience that are exciting, sensual, mystical and evocative.

Carrying out a daily practice of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism since I was a child, it goes without saying this strong spiritual aspect of my life permeates my artwork. The reverence and gratitude for life I am able to feel, a deeper consciousness that enables me to experience the world in a profound new way, this influence is my greatest inspiration, the life force that drives my creativity.

Caught in the bewildering barrage of injustice and seemingly inevitable collapse that is our current state of affairs, the artist’s voice is now more precious than ever. Because art is able to speak directly to people’s hearts, artists can speak truth to power, promote freedom and remind us of our shared humanity. Keeping this responsibility at heart, I aim to continue this great journey of discovery.