Here is an excerpt from a letter that I wrote to a friend explaining my painting "The Soul Stirrers":

"The Soul Stirrers" started as a portrait of just the woman in the middle. Her boyfriend came to see the portrait, and stayed to keep her entertained...I spotted her at Jany's...impulsively asked her to pose for me. Then her daughter came to see the painting, she was so adorable that I had to stick her in. When I lived in NYC I used to imagine that I heard someone whispering "Wake up", whenever I was in the bouts of depression, so while I painted her daughter I had her saying this softly into her mother's ear. I had Stephanie, the woman in the middle, and her boyfriend holding hands...when Dan Thompson saw the painting, he suggested that their hands almost be touching. Loved that idea so I changed the painting....again. I just let myself tell my story, or part of it, anyway, which is what I enjoy doing most of all.....always hoping that I will reach someone, help someone, perhaps.