We live in a pluralistic culture with various philosophies, religions, theories and standards of morality. At moments throughout my artistic
career, I have succumbed to these pressures and as a result, much of my work bears the good and bad fruit of cross-cultural influences.
However, there is a growing concern and responsibility I have as an artist to direct viewers towards what I and many others believe to be
truth, meaning and purpose.

Portraits
My portraits have been influenced by the superficiality of pop culture and the theories of Evolution. These are two examples of the negative
effects of a pluralistic society but the portraits function on a more psychological level as well. In addition to their nostalgic appeal and display of formal depth through the combinations of traditional and nontraditional painting techniques, they illustrate the transformation of one questioning, and struggling to comprehend the
three big questions we all ask; Who am I? Where
did I come from? Where am I going?

Landscapes
My landscapes have pondered these questions as well. Heavily influenced by the early Modern American painters, Albert P. Ryder, George Inness and Winslow Homer, these paintings have evolved from commentaries about our poor stewardship for the environment to subtle
commentaries about our corroded hearts. Some of these paintings convey biblical references through collaged material from art historical texts while others use appropriated imagery from Winslow
Homer and are juxtaposed with water-towers, smokestacks and aircraft.

The re-contextualization of these figures creates multiple time frames to convey that the concerns for the heart and soul are the same in the
past as they are in the present. Many of these figures tend to be in a state of fear, earnestness or contemplation. This is further enhanced by unstable aircraft and the billowing smoke from power plants but is balanced by the symbolism and refuge of the water tower.

Text is often used as a device to further direct the viewer towards the meaning and purpose of the painting. The text can range from random letters to prefixes and words. For instance, when placed
within the context of various motifs, the prefix “re” could be the beginning of words such as renew, restore or repent.

Conclusion
Colossians 2:8 of the English Standard Version Bible states, “See to it that no one else takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” The realization of what truth, meaning and purpose are has liberated me from the burden of attempting to find it within
myself or in the countless ideas of our culture. My struggles are no longer based on what I’m going to communicate and paint but rather how I’m going to communicate what has been revealed to me as Truth.