I never really planned to become a representational painter; in fact, some of my favorite artists are abstractionists. It was the work of the pop artists, more specifically the fringe artists of the movement, that started me on my path. Artists like Ed Kienholz, Marisol, and Peter Blake caught my eye with their creations of everyday people, places, and things. To date, I have not found a way of painting the human figure in my art that I feel satisfied with. Toys and cartoons have become my stand-ins. Photos of loved ones, newspaper clippings, and even grocery store ads all recall what being human is. Careful placement of these images is how I conjure the human spirit in my art.