In 2016, I enrolled in an informal art class and made drawings and paintings where I experimented with acrylics, charcoal, and graphite. It was the first time as an adult that I discovered a dormant need to create and experiment.

I joined a painting group that primarily painted classical realism style still life oil paintings. Many were masters of the trade and I discovered that I had a lot of learning ahead of me. It was intimidating and thrilling and I realized that I needed to spend more time in the studio to practice.

My first still life paintings were based on objects I found at the MoMA store – a folding wood robot and an anime-style porcelain bunny cookie jar. Finding objects that I want to paint has its limitations – specifically the cost, time, and effort to hunt at tag sales, consignment shops, or online. Often, I found that I do not have many connections to objects that inspire me to paint.

I had to figure out how to find compelling setups for my still life paintings. I decided to embark on creating my own objects and enrolled in a ceramics class. Some ceramics I have made are organic shapes that lend themselves naturally to explore abstraction in my paintings. Other ceramics have become the subject matter of my still life character paintings. It’s a slow process from start to finish, but it feels very personal and honest, with room to grow.

Currently, I have an art studio in the Ossining Bethany Arts Community in New York.