These works address the personal and public impact of gun violence that has become an undesirable societal constant for our nation. Our collective conscience is numbed to the impact of each personal loss as this epidemic continues. These random violent acts aimed at our schools, theaters, nightclubs, concerts, churches and countless individuals wears on our corporate psyche.
As I research each incident, the personal stories wash over me; my responses are deeply felt. The paintings reflect a wide range of emotions: anger, empathy, mourning and frustration. Some works are contemplative, full of symbolism in line with my usual working methods, while others display expressive marks, turmoil and layered content. This has resulted in some of my most personally honest and responsive work, though stylistically disjunctive in appearance. I hope to ignite empathy for the families and victims beyond the ’24-hour news cycle’. I desire these paintings stir emotions, spur dialogue and provoke impactful change regarding this complicated dilemma. I believe if this issue is ignored, we are all possible ‘Targets.’