I paint and draw people, places, and things that inspire me, that move me, that I admire. It's a way for me to honor them and express how meaningful they are to me.

I've worked as a writer and editor for many years and my love of literature informs a lot of what I paint and draw. I often paint and draw writer's portraits and often do that right on top of their work, on top of their words, which adds a layer to the portraits.

I also like to paint and draw on other things, like book covers, receipts, hotel notepads, cereal boxes, soup boxes, envelopes, cardboard — whatever’s nearby and looks interesting to me. I don't do this consciously but it could be a way to make the process of painting and drawing less serious, less precious, allowing me to have more freedom. I also like the way it looks.

Along with writers, I paint and draw portraits of athletes, filmmakers, musicians, and activists I admire. My aim is to express something essential about the people, places, and things I paint and draw.

I believe that just the attempt at making something beautiful is an act of resistance, however small, against oppression, injustice, and cruelty, all of which I see too much of in the world.

I was born in South Carolina and raised in Michigan. I live in the Hudson Valley in New York.

Logo design by Henry Loosvelt.