As a painter, I am largely influenced by the Abstract Expressionists of the 40’s and 50’s in New York City. Jackson Pollack, Helen Frankenthaler, Mark Rothko, Willem De Kooning, and Lee Krasner, loom large in my mind. I like to use their works as a reference for gauging the success of my work. As the “action painters” of the New York School have had a strong impact on the way I work, I aspire to similar work habits. I strive to be experimental, spontaneous, and for the most part, unplanned. I work fairly quickly so as to capture the movement, energy and spirit that the work aches to express. I want the work to be evidence of desires and memories, as well as to demonstrate a spirit of playfulness, and innovation. I like to explore endless possibilities of the various media I use. I want to be fully engaged in the artistic process. The whole experience is a discovery and always offers up a surprise for me. It informs me as to what has stayed with me; what needs more than anything else to be expressed. I end up telling a story in paint. Sean Scully, an artist I greatly admire, referred to Rothko’s paintings as color poems. That is what I most strive for.