After Messina Painting

My grandfather, who was a painter, put a brush in my hands in the late 60s. I cant remember a time when I haven't painted. My work has evolved through many styles, referencing a diverse group of influencers. Fritz Scholder, David Salle, Julian Schnabel, and the Pop painters of the 60's. I worked in art supply stores when I was young for the discount on paint, and spent many years as an illustrator, primarily for Barney (the dinosaur), and on multiple children's books. I find dificulty in sharing why I paint, and why I paint what I paint. I typically avoid a conscious narrative in my work. Its always about pulling from the accumulated vocabulay of imagery. Paper pealing from a billboard, or a painting from Caravaggio, everything becomes a resource. " We all inhale the world around us". (Neo Rauch)