I grew up in a family of storytellers and rarely got a word in edgewise, so I learned to fashion my stories into imagery with epic tales full of animals, colorful characters, and imagination. As an adult, this is still the approach I enjoy the most, although my themes have evolved and diversified. I love digging for the stories that are a part of every person, place and thing, gathering new information and working it into a painting. Whether the theme is historic, scientific, futuristic, or a simple slice-of-life, it is a means to deepen my thoughts into a layered narrative rich in plotlines, influencing factors, and detail. The process gives me a more profound appreciation of the world around me, both natural and man made, the light, shadow, lines, and colors of our environment. It magnifies my experience of life in unexpected ways and motivates me to the next painting.