“I am always intrigued by people and that is why they are always in my paintings.  When I do a portrait, it is an occasion to try and capture the spirit and soul of a person.  I am particularly interested in painting men with beards, just because they have so much character.  I’d have to say that in everyone that I paint whether it be a portrait of a person or of a clown, there is always a little bit of myself that is in there.  And like many artists, I love to paint women.  But of all the women, the most beautiful, both outside and in, is my wife, Maria.”