Having regained some measure of comfort with painting, Duke ’84 (detail left) was an attempt to revert to my former real-life work. While I do not consider the endeavor at all unsuccessful, I found creating life-like images a great deal more challenging when working in the acrylic medium. Oil paints, in my opinion, allow for seamless rendering, as well as a broader and more consistent range of color. I found that it was necessary to employ generous brushstrokes to accommodate for the fast-drying medium. This would result in a slightly more stylized composition than I originally envisioned.

I have continued to create in all three styles of painting and find myself moving towards a more politically-minded collection of work. The work I am currently developing commemorates the life of Fidel Castro, in an effort to offer an objective study of his leadership, as well as the largely misrepresented U.S./Cuban relationship. In addition, the Travels study, which celebrates indigenous life the world throughout, has always been close to my heart and will be a continuing compilation throughout my career.