Art is a visual language that one creates, one you hope resonates with the viewer.  I explore the qualities of paint on the surface and how it influences feeling and emotion. The unfinished, visceral quality brings authenticity to the artwork.  The emotion of the work, the vulnerability of showing all the perceived flaws is what makes the works “perfect” after all.I use old sewing patterns my late mother had used as the foundation to the paintings.  They provide a framework and a ritual in the creation of the piece.  Often times they become the background or base and may be completely painted over, but still aids in adding texture to the work.  Texture has always been a significant in my work, and after exclusively painting with acrylic over the years, I returned to oils as they have provided the volume and depth I am seeking.  Abstraction is beautiful with its ability to be open to multitudes of interpretations, the context not always necessary. My hope is the viewer absorbs the layers, embrace the surface “imperfections” and have the work mean something to them on a personal level.  My aim is that the viewer is more enriched by the work, that viewing the artwork becomes an experience unto itself.“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.”-Edward Hopper