Artist Statement

    In my recent drawing and painting series I concentrate on the remembrance of direct
    observation as a vehicle for exploring the relationship between memory and pictorial
    expression. In a struggle to infuse my images with meaning, I have found that constantly
    revising and changing compositions in mid-process poses the risk of failure yet creates a
    dialogue between the artist and the work that constitutes the basis for effective visual
    communication with the viewer. Drawing on my experiences of living in Japan, and then
    changing views when I moved to Southern California, I chose ordinary people and their
    environments as subjects to initiate my research. By focusing on the unique gestures of
    human figures and amplifying urban settings, I experimented with shifting points of view to
    establish a new context for daily visual experiences and to engage the audience with points
    of view outside the scope of everyday life. Some of my influences are Edward Hopper,
    Robert Birmelin, and Edgar Degas.