These paintings and works on paper can be experienced on various levels – as formal, abstract compositions, as tactile/sensory objects, or as personal narratives or ‘mythologies’.
In terms of imagery, I draw upon motifs of personal significance, most notably from the natural history, culture, artifacts and memories I associate with the Hawaiian Islands, my birthplace, and a family history arising out of Japanese and European roots.
As I work, I allow my memory and imagination to come to the forefront. This process allows me to encounter remembered and imagined beings, and to weave stories based around ancestors, alter egos, and archetypes. As I work I often discover hidden connections and narratives that constellate these figures within a broader collective or historical context.
