My introduction to fine art was through a set of pastels over forty years ago. I soon discovered the power of art to communicate, inspire and motivate. The artist has the ability to show the viewer a new way of looking at the world… to draw them in to a personal, private space or push the boundaries of exploration into new worlds, new views.

In my work, I like to think of myself as a tour guide, showing places that have shaped and molded my community, my family, and myself. Many of my works reflect the places I’ve lived and the people I have met. They are illustrations from my life and your life. Many of these everyday scenes are so commonplace in our lives, they become invisible and overlooked. But in an artist’s hands, they can become small jewels of beauty and inspiration. For example, shafts of sunlight filtering through the tracks of the El as it rumbles through a crowded down- town on a blustery day illuminating the streets and people below, or the pyramids of colorful fruit standing at attention waiting to be examined at Findlay Market. Everyday scenes, but look closer and for a moment you can feel the warmth of the sun on your face or smell the sharp, clean fragrance of oranges and grapefruits.

My pastels and the sanded paper I work on allow me to orchestrate the world around me as one would music. Soft and delicate where the feeling is smooth, or far away, hard and strong when the space is commanding. With my tools I am a tour guide to these everyday spaces and places of my life and yours.