I have always been powerfully drawn to figurative painting and drawing, particularly portraiture. My body of work includes traditional portraits and figurative oil paintings as well as expressionistic figure drawings using oil sticks, charcoal, wax medium, powdered pigments and collage. I have also created a series of monoprints and etchings of primates, who fascinate me because of their uncanny humanness.

In the past few years, however, I have returned to oil portraiture full force and have focused almost completely on the face—the area that has always been of greatest interest to me. It was a relief to permit myself to work only on the face and not feel I had to paint traditional portraits that include more of the body and “background.” I recently created a series of 36” x 36” portraits of individuals who are between 90 and 100 years old. They are especially fascinating to paint because their faces reveal so much of their lives. I love to carefully observe the surface and folds of their skin, which reminds me of a complex landscape.

My best work is accomplished when I can achieve an optimal balance between intellect and emotion, control and letting go. I continually strive to push the limits of my technical and expressive abilities.