As an avid follower of global current events, I am inspired by the news stories and media images I see on a daily basis. I am drawn to expressions of intimate moments and strong emotion – sadness, fear, desperation, stoic resilience. Through my art, I wish to interpret my perspectives of their feelings in the moment which made them newsworthy.

My paintings have evolved from works that were a more formal rendering – realistic in both composition and color – to works that expand color, drawing and movement as a way to heighten the feelings I seek to convey. This evolution has led to my exploration of the expression of movement through an explosion of drawing lines and color. I find inspiration from and have been influenced by the artists Lynette Yiadom-Boake, Eric Fischl and Philemona Williamson.

Whatever their challenges – socio-economic, political, racial, ethnic, environmental – the subjects I portray maintain a deeply human quality that resonates for me. The issues they are confronting are troubling to me. I wrestle with this in my work and in my daily life choices. Regardless of our differences, we are all people inhabiting this planet. And yet I can’t help but think why do I have a certain life trajectory whereas these people in my paintings have a different life trajectory? And what legacy am I leaving for my children? Did the parents of the children in my paintings have different dreams for their progeny?