"As an artist, I have always found inspiration in close observation of the natural world, and in the ever-changing play of light and shadow over organic forms. My recent paintings are a continuing series of "pear portraits'' in which the pears seem to be having conversations and interacting. Through my art, I seek to convey a sense of visual poetry."

For many years, I have returned again and again to creating watercolor paintings of pears, often with them ripening on sunny windowsills. I have used the pears' almost-figurative forms and variety of skin tones to allow me to represent the people and situations in my life through a still life format. My paintings can be enjoyed simply as light gliding over beautiful forms, or can be seen as my comments on human relationships. Painting in still life offers me a chance to be very close to my subject and thus to see the complexities of color, light and shadows - voluptuous objects illuminated by the slanting and colorful light of early morning or late afternoon - which always inspires me to capture a scene in watercolor.

My first ''pear portrait" was inspired when I discovered a single pear on a friend's windowsill. The graceful gesture of the pear, stem curved and outstretched, seemed to suggest dancing. The painting based on the scene, "Sometimes When I'm Alone, I Dance", led to "recognizing" more pears as people I know!