“Mandala, Drum, Snake, Bastet, Hanuman and Me” '03 Artist Statement Being a self-taught artist, my approach to drawing and painting started out as a means to express emotions – both my own as well as the emotionality of the images I created. Before I knew the importance of technique, before I knew to learn from (or compare myself to) the master painters, I felt the significance of creating space for expressing authentic selves. Societally speaking, we are not encouraged to express ourselves fully, complete with vulnerabilities. Our strengths are encouraged only if they are perceived as strengths within our assigned roles within the constructed culture. We are so often left alienated, hiding the very parts of ourselves that make us unique and beautiful. We often perceive ourselves as alone and become incapable of connecting with the world, with one another, unable to give to - or create anything new with - one another. My artwork expresses a yearning for connection, the power of human vulnerability as well as spiritual strength, and the often untapped powerful worlds that exist inside of us all.