The most memorable moments in life are, for me, those which create a sense of spiritual awareness. My paintings seek to capture these fleeting states of heightened energy. Whether they originate in human experience or from our interactions with the natural world, I want to express the feeling of being charged with this vital force.

Rather than trying to create a literal image of an experience, I am creating an emotional and spiritual one. My work is a representation of the sensations I feel during these moments. To capture the raw power and energy of these experiences, I emphasize the physical act of painting. I feel that this injects another level of vitality into the work that is necessary to capture these moments. This process is revealed most through my use of gestural marks and thick paint, as these elements emphasize the material and the path of my brush. I want my energy, movement and interaction with the painting to be felt.

My current work is rooted in my personal experiences of these spiritual moments. They can occur at any time in life, be it watching the setting sun ignite the winter sky, or in moments where love has created an equally powerful sensation.

As I am trying to convey such strong forces, there often exists a tension between control and chaos. My most successful paintings are those that sit on the edge of these two entities and create a sense of explosive energy.

March 22, 2010