When I paint the figure I feel a rush to capture the essence of a fleeting moment. I work on paintings, drawings, and prints inspired by figures within simple interior spaces. Conceptual themes include intimate space and serenity. Artists from Vermeer to de Kooning as well as a rural upbringing have influenced my approach. Light and color are crucial to my work and so I insist on working from direct observation. Rather than preplanning pieces, I allow the process to be fluid and use creative problem-solving to lead me to a resolution. I push inventive renderings of the figure and walk the line between figuration and abstraction.