I am a contemporary realist. Much of my work has to do with finding harmony in complexity, and realism serves as my vehicle. Awareness of the paint surface and tactile qualities of brush and canvas are key to my approach. I want my paintings to obviously be what they are without being overly derivative, photographic, or formulaic.

I am drawn to elaborate pattern and saturated colors. I love to create works that celebrate complexity, but are unified into a statement that communicates calm. I look for serenity and stillness within chaos; order and unity in seemingly disordered and disparate elements. The challenge is not choosing which information to exclude, as much as how to include a large degree of elaboration and make the message resonate calm and cohesion.

My portrait work is fueled by a similar focus. I love the human form and face, and I find myself wanting to explore the tactile quality of surfaces, as well as the inherent grace of the person I paint. I have no interest in cynicism, preferring instead to look candidly at who the person is, how they present themselves, and communicate my empathy with that. My portraits do not attempt to glamorize my subjects, but rather they strive to reveal the authentic person that I see. Since I like people, this view tends to be empathetic rather than critical or jaundiced.

I look for subjects steeped in color and atmosphere. I try to move beyond the specifics of detail, but amplify the particular visual elements that attract my attention; that define the essence of the subject for me. I use these elements to articulate my emotional response. I try to reveal a certain atmospheric density, a saturated stillness that is often missed in observation from life.