This series is inspired by the cultures, histories, and traditions of the peoples along the Silk Road.  As scholars, artists, and merchants traveled throughout the region, they exchanged ideas, beliefs, and aesthetics.  I seek to discover and then interpret these different strands of experiences and meanings.  I incorporate into my paintings, sculptures, and pottery the vivid colors of Persian miniatures and teahouse paintings, the rich narratives of theatrical storytelling and profound poetry, and the rhythms of traditional music.

In my figurative work, including portraiture, I seek to go beyond the surface and evoke the subjects’ emotions and lived experiences.