Artist's statement My latest work explores the relationships between opposing natures. I create landscapes and compositions that position consumer objects from my everyday life against fields of color and texture. The textures are made with paint and beeswax and often sticks and pebbles to evoke the profound: nature, spirit, God's domain. Juxtaposed against these textures are the trappings of man's created world: soda cans, computer boards, electronics casings, shiny glass ornaments.  The objects and the textures each represent different identities that seemingly would not interact, yet come together to form a cohesive whole.   My interest in exploring these dualities stems from my viewpoint that the man-made world only touches the surface of our human existence, while spiritual realities run deeper. Yet it is difficult to live a pure spiritual life in a culture that's enamored with it's own creations. Although I try not to fully embrace the world, I'm caught in the balance of trying to be "in the world, but not of the world."