Artist statement
"I create in order to see and to be seen. I paint on canvas using acrylics and various paint markers. I do this primarily because the act of painting brings me joy. I work with old slides from my family archive—images featuring people from my childhood. By projecting these slides over one another, I create double images. This layering adds an intriguing element that calls for countless artistic choices: what do I reveal, and what do I tone down? Which colors do I use? How do I capture the specific feeling of nostalgia within the work? I hope viewers can recognize themselves in my memories and take the time to truly see the paintings; I hope the work brings them happiness and invites them to hang it on their walls at home—I hope the paintings sell themselves.
It took a long time to reach this point. After 35 years of teaching art at various secondary schools—where I focused intently on my students while *they* were the ones drawing and painting—I gained something valuable: the ability to truly look. I possess a trained eye and extensive technical skills. Now that my teaching career on school is behind me, I have renewed energy, and the time has come to paint myself. It is fantastic; I am thoroughly enjoying this freedom.
Of course, I fear rejection; the thought of my paintings remaining unnoticed and unsold is dreadful to me. Yet, I will not stop, because I am searching for that one special painting: an image that speaks and commands attention. Conjuring an image with paint that moves the viewer—that is my ultimate dream. It is a dream I can pursue for years to come, and one that brings me great happiness right now."
