Now Showing --Small Works*
DEC 1 - 31st

At Hespe Gallery San Francisco: Hespe.com

My body of work has come from a mixed side of childhood; juxtaposing peculiar and quiet experiences with the imaginary protection of animals. Fearful moments, made brighter by sharing and understanding secrets with animal "friends". These paintings of life moments are augmented and playfully set along by current stories of my present. These animals are able to convey and share emotions often hidden by our shells.

As a child, I spent weekends visiting my mother at work, employed as a zookeeper and aquarium show diver. I became fascinated early on with animal behavior, and carried pockets full of doodles, as I imagined these animals as my chit chat friends. I spent many of my younger years pretending they would protect me in opposing moments and that they could understand the parts of my mind and heart that I kept quiet. As a painter, I have tried to express the lightness these relationships offered, creating playful and sometimes just silly paintings.

An important facet of my work in using animals is to expose the viewers mind to become more aware of the the relationships between animals and humans. The needs to rescue and efforts to save mistreated and abused animals. To remind the viewer to question the undermining of animal habitats and farming that cause animals extreme and unnecessary pain. I hope viewers will look at my work as a vehicle for understanding and relating to animals in a stronger light.