How long have you been creating?

I have been creating my whole life. I would look at things in different ways. As a young child I would step back, watch, the re-assemble every day items into forms unusual for their context - to make them into an art piece. I even tried to create my own clothes out of beautiful pieces of material I would find - luckily she wouldn't let me leave the house with them on.

What other artists or movements inform your work/aesthetics/sensibilities?

I wasn't inspired early on by any certain artists except musicians - for instance Madonna - she was inspiring because she was a woman who was cutting edge - had that spirit, I felt that couldn't be touched. I was not raised in a house where anyone knew or really cared about art, therefore it was not important to learn or speak of it. Between my junior and senior year at the University of Washington I travelled Europe and saw in person works of the old masters. It was truly inspiring. Picasso has the biggest influence on my work - I appreciate him for the fact that I see that he was true talent and was able to look at something in a very different way - and to speak out with his work. Leroy Neiman was also an influence with my sports art that I started developing during my senior year in college. He was the beginning of pulling the line into my work - showing movement and motion - sometimes it IS the life in my work.

How would you describe your work?

Very, very, emotional and usually large and dramatic. There is a reason behind every painting. I search to inspire an emotion - to get the viewer to wonder what that particular painting is feeling and in return get the viewer to catch themselves in a moment of thought - to stike a chord - inspire a feeling within themselves. I always hope to get the viewer to stop and look (or at least slow down and do a double take), other than just walk by - I want my pieces to spark conversation - to be bold in context, form or both - . My work is moving in the direction of trying to push the envelope a bit - combining thougths with image to create something that may be controversial to one and not another.

What are you motivations for creating?

Creating is a necessity. I have this burning desire to reach this ultimate level of expression - to be able to marry my thoughts with ability and create this experience for the viewer as well as a feeling of satisfaction that I actually was able to accomplish what I set out to do.

What do you find visually stimulating right now?

Simplicity and kindness.

You are equally deft with photography and painting--is there a media that is more "you"?

I was adopted into a family that there was not one artistic bone in the whole clan - very mathmatical. I found my birth parents about 15 years ago and they are the epitome of wild and irresponsible. So I see my true character in my painting, and my environment in my photography.

What would you like your fellow EBSQ artists and our collectors to know about you and/or your work?

I will be pushing my art and my art will be pushing me until I have nothing left to say - and I have a lot to say. Thank you!