Artist Statement

I am a photographer because it suits the way I see the world. It helps me put order into chaos, and helps me eliminate that which does not serve me at that instant. I like beauty, I look for beauty, and my work is beautiful. I feel that beauty is a worthwhile goal, and my job is to see it and present it to the viewer. I leave the challenges of life for another time.

I make no apologies for wanting beauty. I have no politics as an artist. I do not want to make people react or spur them to action. Instead, I feel my task is to provide rest, comfort even, and leave the viewer in a better place. Kind of like offering someone a hand with a flat tire.

I believe that beauty is ever-present, if we can only be aware of it. It happens everywhere, as a part of chaos and the order inherent in the world. A friend’s smile, a humorous juxtaposition of shadows, the bursting colors of early spring. These are things we share as humans, transcending language and culture, lifting us from failure, and joining us together. I think we need beauty.

My work generally finds and considers the singularities of nature. I have a great eye for form and pattern, and especially for finding the difference, the individualism, within the scene. My experience as a photojournalist helps me cull the unnecessary elements, and leaves a piece that is simple and striking.