My first serious creative interest was black and white photography, which taught me two things: A strong sense of composition and the ability to distill my curiosity about human nature into definitive moments. I have always questioned superficial truths and am drawn to situations that depict a quiet revelation of deeper meanings. This vision is recreated in my painting with the use of minimalist architectural devices that portray a fleeting sense that some unseen drama is either about to occur or has just happened. I use strong, hidden light sources, spatial devices, and metaphors for the human presence to create an atmosphere of solitude and introspection into which the viewer can enter without interruption.

Although I have some formal education in painting techniques (i.e. the use of the materials, color and spatial relationships), my conceptual approach comes from within. For a short time after my training, I worked directly from my photographs, often painting in every detail. Now, most times I'll invent an image with only an internal concept to guide me, perhaps using only the interesting parts of a photograph for reference purposes only.

The titles of the paintings play an important role in the creation of each piece. They evolve from little epiphanies that occur to me as each painting develops, embodying small, but important truths. Painting and title become one, yet enhancing the existence of the other.

Some of my strongest influences were films such as "To Kill A Mockingbird" and Hitchcock's "Rear Window", which I had seen when I was quite young. In particular, I was attracted to the directors' use of black and white footage, atmospheric light and the architectural focus of the set designs. I was enthralled - and still am - by the mystery and voyeurism portrayed in these works, and they influence the way I use light, space and the sense of something unseen in my own painting.

With respect to painters whose work I admire, I am more and more drawn to the surrealists, like the Spanish artist Remedios Varo and Rene Magritte. Edward Gorey is one of my favorite artists: his dark, humorous pen-and-ink scenarios are fascinating. Finally, I owe much gratitude to the great photographers of the 20th century: W. Eugene Smith, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Alfred Steiglitz.