I have always been drawn to the old, vintage, and distressed things in life. I like the feel of their age and their quality of having been created with a human touch.

This series starts and extends from there; I use small figures to tell stories, sometimes theirs and sometimes mine. The wear and tear of love and/or neglect, or carefully protected and preserved surfaces of the never-played-with figures, invoke an emotion and response. I think about the fact that they have no choice but to wear their damage on the outside for all the world to see, while we, as humans, have the luxury of hiding it, of internalizing it and presenting a perfect facade.

The painted faces and expressions also speak to the hand that painted them, offering a glimpse into the creator as well. As I choose and paint them, I consider their history and how it may have aligned with mine. I transpose my life experiences onto them and in doing so, am able to portray my own damage and emotion.