There is an underlying optimism that I hope comes across in my work. I consider myself very fortunate to have been raised in Southern California and to have had so many experiences growing up. That culture is what I still value and understand: surfing, art, travel, and my family. As a regional painter, I feel a responsibility to document California today in the same way the early California painters did in their era. I enjoy painting landscapes, especially when they help increase our awareness of our roles as conservators of the land. But I also hope that a study of an older neighborhood, of people working, or of dancers celebrating a part of their culture — all bring respect to, and celebrate the diversity of our region. Painting is a lot like surfing a wave. You commit and then adjust, balance risk with experience, and sometimes — the process of painting — is to just sit down and grab a brush, or paddle back out and do it again.
