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I am a self-taught painter, yoga teacher and bilingual clinical social
worker, living and working in the Boston area.

Sometimes I set out with a clear plan, but the paintings never completely
bend to my will. They have a creative life of their own. Some years ago I
read an autobiography by a Cambridge-based painter, Maud Morgan, and her idea is that paintings "paint" themselves. Practicing yoga is similar - if you focus on "getting" a pose or "conquering" your breath in pranayama - the experience is that of constriction and frustration. When you approach asana or pranayama with a willingness to let go of expectations and be in the moment, the practice is joyful, juicy and satisfying. The artist's job - in a sense - is to let go of ego willfulness in order to work in the moment. The result is artistic freedom.

As far as defining my style, I recently came up with the term "primitive pop". "Primitive" in the sense that I am self-taught. "Pop" because of my sense of color which is usually quite high contrast and vibrant. My intention is to create work which is dynamic, evocative and exciting. I use many layers to create a sense of the hidden and mysterious.

I started painting nd practicing yoga in my early 30's. Yoga grounded me, energized my body and soothed my soul, creating a gateway to move deeply inside myself, where I was able to tap into latent creativity. One of the many benefits of yoga is learning to break through barriers (physical, emotional and spiritual) and limited self-perceptions, and to awaken dormant energy. Painting is my personal expression of those awakened energies.

Since I work in an almost completely abstract way, the colors and forms are an expression of an inner reality, an inner vision. That said, Nature - in both its natural and cultivated forms - is very exciting and inspirational.

Travels to India, Brazil and Bali have also been a source - for texture, form, color and text.

I am also interested in the notion of what it means to be an "artist". Based on my own experience, I am convinced that we all have hidden yearnings and talents that seek creative expression. Most of us don't want to have our taste dictated by Advertising and Product. We all have the need to understand ourselves on a deeper level, and an often unspoken desire to express ourselves. The difficult part is to move inside, identify your soul's call, and to move from inside to find your expression.

When you are truly absorbed in making art, it becomes a meditation. You are transported beyond the analytical, critical mind. From that place, the art makes itself. I see the "artist" as a channel, so that if we get out of our own way and let the creativity flow, we can tap into something wonderful, something beyond our limited sense of self.

There are many expressions of Spirit, and my work is about making those connections, and bridging the spaces - within ourselves, and between each other.