My series entitled NOLA is a selection of paintings that were influenced by my time spent helping with the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans post-Katrina. The imagery was heavily influenced by the new landscape of the area hit the hardest by Katrina, The Lower Ninth Ward.

In this series, the marks I made were influenced by the hieroglyph-like marks I saw on the decimated infrastructure. The markings indicated which rescue team had been to the building, the date they inspected the building, how many bodies were found and how many people were supposed to be there. The goal of the series was to chronicle these horrific events that took place, and also to evoke a visceral reaction to the work. Despite the dark tone of the subject matter, I also aim to portray the atmosphere of hope that surrounded me while spending time with the displaced population.

My work is fueled by a spark of inspiration, that then takes on a life all its own. I do not always know where the painting will lead. Conflicts resolve themselves as if the painting has a vision of its own. My paintings are a complex relationship between texture, color, and line. A piece begins by creating texture and adding color intuitively. I paint while riding high on emotion, which influences the various marks on the surface.