I am an admirer of Fauvism which lasted 1904 to 1908. The leaders of the movement were Matisse and Andre Derain. The paintings are characterized by flat shapes and controlled lines. The paintings express emotion with dissonant colors without regard for the subject’s natural colors. The subjects painted are women and still life placing the figures in fully realized interiors. I work with a brilliant Fauvist palette and add muted tones. I use color as the foundation of expressive, decorative paintings. I want my art to be like Matisse “of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter. Art that will be a soothing calming influence on the mind.”