The human figure is the theme of my art. My work is classical in spirit, but handled in contemporary terms. It is a personal expression of my own feelings, and the result of first-hand experience and emotional trials. As I work directly from the model, reality is my starting point and becomes my vehicle  for artistic expression. I combine both abstract and figurative elements in my paintings which allows me to free myself from the conventional. I want each work to be a new and challenging adventure for me as well as the viewer. Making an artistic statement is what is most important to me, not reproducing nature.