My paintings are of an idealized object made from idealized imagery. They represent my anxieties while providing an escape from them. In these paintings I have total control over the environment and its creation. Having no clear idea how to find the security I crave, I create safe places in which I can live for the duration of the time it takes to complete them. The peace I feel while painting these works is all consuming with very little struggle. The intense observation of the image and the close proximity I use in order to capture the detail enhances my sense of intimacy. The escape is temporary, and there is a bittersweet quality to this as ultimately I am locked outside the interior. This is reminiscent of my first dollhouse, the Barbie Dream House. The Barbie Dream House appeared grand, thanks to the fancy scenes printed on the thick card stock; but once I started playing, I found I could only play in front of the rooms, never in them.