My artwork consists mainly of sculpture, painting and multimedia. Its concepts may be gleaned in reference to metaphor, iconography, scale, even physiological response, but always in my attempt at transformation. "Under the Surface and Dreaming" is the title of my most recent series, though just about everything I have done would be appropriate to include under this heading. The title's reference is multi-leveled; it alludes to the subconscious, but also to the process of making art. What is built upon, or what is under the surface, is often not visible in the end, and yet it is there. I am attracted to this idea of metamorphosis and many of my sculptural creations are in a state of transformation; they fly or float, represent dual natures, light on fire, and spout water, while my paintings swirl and offer glimpses into small openings where experience shifts. Dream is possibility. I like to paint in a way in which I allow energy to take over, where the paintings almost paint themselves. This is my latest inspiration.

Mythology reveals that in the forces of nature, humans have always experienced divinity. In my art I try to convey this through the use of the elements of earth, fire, water and air, both in literal representations and in symbolic allusion. In a recent homage to this principal, I created a commissioned sculpture for the Environmental Defense Center of Santa Barbara. Text and imagery are combined in the shape of a tree in the hopes of raising ecological awareness. The original request was to create something to honor patrons, but conceptually I also created the tree to speak of what inspires the work and the organization. Its leaves are etched with the endangered species of this area, a reminder of nature's fragile balance and beauty. I left a chamber in the heart of the tree for interaction and manifestation, my desire is to leave the viewer with a personal path to experience this work, their wishes, and their thoughts on what can be done to help bring about change.

In the future I hope to create a more complete experience with my art, environments that involve music, writing, interaction, dialog, film and lighting as well as painting and sculpture. I want people to feel as if they are part of the art, not just observers.

My long-term project, which is on a temporary hiatus, is an art retreat where people come together to paint in a magnificently beautiful place, Costa Rica. It is called CreArte, which in Spanish means to create yourself, and it is an interactive project on a large scale, a working studio, gallery and temporary home. I hope though collaboration to inspire creativity and healing, in myself as well a in others. To learn more please visit www.crearteretreat.com.

In this Post Modern world we live in, the artist has the freedom to create anything he or she chooses. I choose to explore the truths that are beyond my own understanding. Ultimately it is a path I believe in and it inspires me to the core.