I explore both abstractionism and realism in art, and I work to combine the two art forms. The outline of my subject matter leans towards realism, but the shapes of color inside the subject, are abstract. I use color and line to meld the two art forms together. Half the time I spend creating a work of art is spent drawing. I use this time to explore what interesting shapes it takes to make your eye move throughout the painting and pull the viewer in. Then I work with color to either solidify the realism, or give rise to more abstraction, depending on what works best to hold the viewer’s interest. As I paint, I find the reality of the painting fades away, and I’m left with abstract shapes of color within a recognizable form. Because they cannot be defined, these abstract shapes tend to shut down the viewer’s internal dialogue and relax the mind in a wash of color and movement.