artist_statement.

The images I draw and paint on paper and canvas represent a deep and dramatic look into the essence of humanity, in all its colors, forms, imperfections and emotions. And yet it is not just about scratching the surface of the face or figure, or choosing to render the self or a specific individual among the masses, it is about the hidden energy underneath the skin, the act of digging into the physicality of the person, and like the paintings of Lucien Freud, we let the visceral response take over, to establish an exaggerated empathy for what we are, and who we are.

Scratches and swirls of color, shade and form are created and connected to everything on the surface, features blend together to become a face, the face becomes a body, the body and background collide, the viewer is pulled into a world of spectacle that is created from pieces of other worlds, found objects, people, places and eras. as we go from ancient to classic, from modern to post-modern, the human condition remains the same. We understand what we are seeing, but the context is nominal. We see and feel the agony and the ecstasy of existence, because we have no other choice. The paint is just a means to bring us there.