VUE

Living in West Palm Beach has deeply influenced my work—the light is brighter and the tropical colors feel almost neon. I'm inspired by birds of paradise, flamingos, parrots, palm trees, hibiscus, and white gardenias sparkling with morning dew. e East Coast offers a striking counterpoint: cooler, soer light, sweeping white beaches and a moodier ocean, rolling hills, and a gentler palette of English roses, ferns, foxglove, and blue hydrangeas. A major milestone for me was landing the cover of Dan's Papers with my painting Celestial Moonlight—a dream I've had since I was young. e oceanfront continues to fuel my creativity through the changing seasons— winter snow giving way to spring's crocuses and tulips, summer's historic homes and garden-lined streets, and fall's crisp air and brilliant leaves. I've also been shaped by fellow artists, including Robert Chapman, William de Kooning's assistant for a decade. I'm an Abstract Expressionist influenced by Fauvism—bold, fearless color and movement. I oen paint straight from the tube, mixing directly on the canvas and letting energy lead. My work spans luminous celestial florals as well as two main series: the White Series, with heavy impasto, rich texture, and crystals that catch the light, and the Blue Series, inspired by the way light refracts and dances across water. My process begins with thick, commercial-grade gesso and an idea—or a vivid dream image—then I choose my palette and begin, typically using Golden and Liquitex paint products and applying them with a large flat brush and a loaded- brush technique I learned from past master instructors. Certain motifs return again and again: butterflies, hummingbirds, and stars, oen surrounded by constellations. e Seven Sisters was inspired by the Pleiades in Taurus. Seeing my work in curated spaces is deeply meaningful; aer creating more than 800 pieces, the greatest reward is when a collector truly connects with a painting and chooses to live with it. VUENJ.COM 91

• Cover