My compositions can be seen as emerging from the legacies of minimalism and abstract expressionism. Indeed, Agnes Martin’s emphasis on lines and grids and aspects of Richard Diebenkorn’s later color field paintings can be observed in my work. But the exercise I have in mind extends far beyond a mere reworking of established styles. Intrigued by dualities and the phenomena of coexistence, I introduce aspects of realism into certain sections of my work as a means of creating stylistic opposition. The use of trompe l’oeil to realistically render swatches of paper held up by strips of cellophane tape challenges the distinction between art and life and sheds light on the way in which representation is translated from experience. Like miniature paintings, these tangible bits of paper often mimic the abstract passages and gridded backgrounds found in the composition. By employing divergent styles to create a picture within a picture, I hope to suggest to the viewer that oppositions can exist harmoniously in the same space.