My usual mode of working is very spontaneous and intuitive. The narrative quality of each of my works becomes apparent during the process of drawing, painting, and via various additive and subtractive processes (including layering, sanding and scraping.) Through my portraits (of people, animals, objects and landscapes) I explore an imagined, fantastical universe full of strange planets, transmuted species and surreal situations. They are a study in contrasts- the juxtaposition of varying textures and patterns, the play between bursts of bold, attention-grabbing color and intricately drawn details and line work, and the balance between playful humor and an undercurrent of darker, more mysterious emotions. The compositions are often graphic in nature but also favor quavery pencil lines and messy brushstrokes that invoke a more hand-made quality. Every day my invented language of symbols grows, repeats and changes. My paintings are not meant to be didactic, rather to read like pages torn from a strange storybook full of narrative quandaries and engaging puzzles.