I remember taking art classes in high school, but I don’t remember why. I did a couple of hard-edge paintings on canvas, some monstrous thing out of foam, and one decent watercolor. I was mostly into snow skiing and guitar. In the long run, the guitar won, and I spent most of my twenties and thirties seeking rock stardom.

I come from a very musical family and music was our blessing and curse. The lifestyle was not exactly healthy and eventually I found darkness. I stayed there for quite a while, until I remembered that I used to like painting.  I started again and felt better. I was able to find little pieces of joy and I needed that. My life got better, and I restarted college. A career in Social Work was the result.  Life got busy and art was not a part of it.

As I got older, I realized that something was missing, and I needed to get back to that space that was mine alone. I decided to take classes in abstract painting. My first assignment was inspiring and made me think, “I painted that? How the heck did I do that?” The instructor said something that is now my mantra, “Let the painting speak to you.” I suppose this might not apply to all art, but it really has a place in abstract. That’s how I come up with what I create. It speaks to me, and I follow it. There is no greater honor for me as an artist than that my art may speak to you as well. I can only thank you. Welcome to the conversation.