Artist's Statement

My work is inspired by nature and the familiar objects around me, as well as by the memories and vivid dreams I carry within myself. By layering images and manipulating color, I interpret fragments of memory -- both painful and joyful experiences -- through the context of my present environment. My work is a personal way to gain power over my experiences, transforming loss into something of beauty.

My paintings grow and change as I work on them; my observations outside the studio and my process of working inspire me to add new images or rearrange existing ones by starting new canvases. I often work on several canvases side by side, developing a series of work interconnected by similar themes or colors.

My alteration and intensification of color is a way for me to express the mood of a particular piece. Perhaps being half deaf has intensified my visual experiences and heightened my focus on color in my work. I even associate the sounds I am able to hear with colors. I often connect certain music with a color scheme or mood, and select the music I listen to in the studio accordingly.