I am inspired by nature, particularly minerals and precious gems.The extreme physical conditions deep inside the earth produce stunning materials, varied in color, texture, and surface. With these elements as inspiration, I aim to create luscious, luminous, and physical works. My mineral paintings are oil on aluminum panels. I work from photos I have taken of minerals. I’m interested in the ways light interacts with these different mineral surfaces. I leave areas of the aluminum exposed, playing with the exchange between the physical, hard metal and the painted, photographic image. From a distance the painting is very photographic, but as the viewer approaches, the surface is painterly and almost abstract in places. I want the viewer to have an impression of the photograph, the physical surfaces I love and portray, and the work as a physical object itself, made of paint and metal. Currently, I am working on a series of abstract paintings. I paint these with oil, acrylic, and house paint, using aluminum, steel, and wood as the canvas. These abstract paintings are an intuitive exploration of paint as a medium, color, emotion, and texture.