In the Dressed to Kill series I am dealing with issues of identity, ornamentation, and aggression. These images of warriors represent that savage nature that is in all of us. They are literally Dressed to Kill - fierce, bold, confrontational. For me, they represent that sense of territoriality, competitiveness, combativeness and rage that is a state of mind, a state of being, which fosters interpersonal conflicts and, globally, wars. Who they are and who we are in relation to them and ourselves are the crucial questions.

Who they are is both concealed and revealed by the mask-like qualities in the paintings and the actual masks. The mask mystifies, empowers, and transforms. The mask, by concealing the face, is dehumanizing, but the intensity of the eye contact also reveals the humanity and vulnerability of the subjects.

In their primal energy they are archetypes of anger and, paradoxically, courage. To live as a warrior requires fortitude and courage. In both their positive and negative aspects, they are us. If we can see them in that way, maybe we can confront these feelings courageously and change ourselves. The goal of my painting is to give the viewers a sensually pleasing experience and to awaken them to their own potential to be more fitly human and alive.

Through my work I hope to inspire people to live courageously, deal with their conflicts, and create a more peaceful world.

See the work...