Violent events leave us alienated and disturbed, yet, paradoxically, draw us closer together. My work centers on people's experiences and their immediate surroundings after tragedy, and the consequent inevitability of becoming accustomed to these shattering experiences.

Studying violence has only confirmed to me that tragedies are as everyday and ubiquitous as is caring for one's child or parent. One might not have been born in Bosnia or Croatia as I was, or have Lebanese relatives either, and while 9/11 has passed our everyday is still tainted with the emotional violence. Grief, as love, is a universal human emotion, and bringing together tragic and compassionate images I try to achieve harmony.

The sensuousness of the painterly process and the employment of formal techniques allow detachment from the dismal content to achieve the state of impartiality and artistic objectivity. The process and the final message of the images strive to unify in the end.