My paintings follow the process of observation, material exploration, and vibrant colors as I create work that lives in reality and imagination. Using the human figure as a formal device; paint, drawing tools, and sandpaper push and pull the figure into space. Searching for someone within the materiality of the surface; there is comfort when I find them staring back. I investigate techniques to intellectually explore perception and create a path to play within the rules of tradition. Knowing that the final product does not have to stay rigid in what it is portraying allows for improvisation and discovery. Painting from observation as I do, lends both to its disconnect from reality and to my playfulness and joy in creating.