I believe that there is a particular magic inherent to painting. I try to imbue some of that mysticism into my work by using saturated color palettes, combining elements of realism with flat, graphic surfaces and referencing both ancient and modern symbols. I’m continually fascinated by the division between idealization and reality, particularly the chasm between America’s optimistic dreams of the 1960s and the decadence and disillusionment of the subsequent decade. Since childhood, mid-century culture and aesthetics have resonated with me. This has evolved into an interest in nostalgia itself, the haunting effect it has on the soul, how it emphasizes what a bittersweet predicament it is to be a human being. The energetic imprints of the past have become influential ghosts, continually manifesting themselves within my paintings.