I make small, detailed oil paintings using traditional techniques. I am visually inspired by the figure and the complex textures in flesh, fabric, and glossy surfaces. The starting point for the ideas behind many of my paintings is the turmoil that is so often a part of the mortal experience. Whether this occurs between people, between people and their surroundings, or is strictly internal, the adventure of living is wrought with these conflicting moments of pride, fear, sadness, and hostility. Many of my paintings have a narrative quality, but the outward story is simply the visual mechanism that enables me to paint the tensions, heightened moods, and rich detail in the subjects.