What inspires me? At times I am stirred by current affairs (hurricane Katrina); other times the bible, mythology, or poetry ignite my imagination. But the real mystery is not 'how does the spark catch fire' - but rather, 'how does fire become art.' For me, it is a process of crystallization, during which raw emotion is transformed and refined into a composition. It takes time; it takes thought. For example, I painted "The Bard" and "My Father's Armchair" a full year after my father's death.

For me, to be an artist is to be the observer; the eye, through which life is taking shape. But as soon as I step aside and invite you to take a look at my art, a surprising thing happens: The observer becomes the observed. In this instance you can open my memories, enter my dreams, and reach for my most intimate passions. This is the moment of truth: Will you find me? And in my story, will you find a revelation of your own?

The way I see the world is radically different from the academic rules of perspective I learned in architecture school. Not a single straight line can be found in my art. The space I draw - interior or exterior - bends in soft, sweeping curves over your head and beneath your feet, to the point of becoming perilously warped. This is where I live; this is my universe. I love setting it aflame with texture and color; and yet, the underlying foundation of my art is, first and foremost, light. Beautifully lit, intricately shadowed, this space often becomes a theatrical stage, upon which I choreograph the movement of my characters.

Nude or draped, the characters I draw are always sculpturally modeled. I am deeply interested in their anatomy and gesture; but even more than that, I feel intrigued by their lives and the fragility of relationships between them. In my mind, each one of my characters has a unique story to tell. Young or old, men or women, in joy or in despair, they are all - me. There is rhythm of distances between them, a pulse that is all mine. In my latest work I portray the characters as striving - often in isolation - to find their bearing in a world riddled with strange juxtapositions. I turn their gazes to confront - and at times, to avoid - each other, and you.

In my sculptures, I aim for illusion. The poses I devise seem to defy gravity. Viewed from any angle, they are designed to delight the eye and engage the mind. In particular, the theme of dance fascinates me. It allows me to choreograph the movement of my characters. I capture them in a split second of risk and flair, which allows you to explore the intense emotion flowing between them. I shape every aspect (the costume, hair, flesh) with the utmost attention to how they move, what they touch. Their faces, their hands, and every muscle in their bodies express the heightened drama of this moment, forever cast in bronze.