"I paint what interests me, what excites me, and hope that the paintings convey that excitement and strike a responsive note in the viewer. Since I was a child I have loved painting portraits, figures, and animals, trying to capture the personality and spirit of the subject. I find land and waterscapes more of a challenge, but am inspired often by the light, the composition, or the mood of a place, and I find it very gratifying when a painting is successful and conveys the spark that inspired me to paint it."