My art is about painting what I see; people, places and moments in time that evoke an emotion or have significant meaning to me. Over the years while traveling, I've had endless opportunities to capture the essence of people and places through the lens of my camera and I utilize these images as references back in my studio to create my paintings. I don't need to convey the tragedies that occur in everyday life through my work; the media sees to that end. I prefer to express simplicity, share a story or a memory and allow others to see that life is good....embrace it!