In addition to what figurative artists normally do, which is hire professional models to pose for drawings and paintings, I also seek other opportunities to draw from life. For the past nine years, I have visited the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary where I spend between three and four hours drawing portraits of seriously ill or injured children from infancy to late teens.

Many of my subjects are in palliative care. I sign each portrait before I give it to the parents or caregiver. I keep no records of these transactions. No one but the families and the hospital staff view them, and then, the drawings are only visible in the small confines of the child's room. In this studio space which is the hospital, I've had many amazing experiences with the children, their families, and the staff. The challenge of trying to capture not only a likeness, but some sense of the child, is formidable within the half hour to one hour it takes. No one poses for me in the formal sense. I consider myself quite fortunate if a baby will open her eyes for me, even for a few seconds, just to give me a sense of her gaze. What is always remarkable and inspiring is the way in which children handle adversity.

This experience of drawing from life, but being unable to exhibit the results nor being able to discuss the particular circumstances of my hospital subjects, due to confidentiality issues, has been an unusual one for me as an exhibiting artist. However, it has forced me to be a quick and keen observer, which has helped me enormously in the studio or on other sites with other subjects.

As a long-time social activist, I've encountered many amazing individuals who have demonstrated astounding strength and resiliency. My Expansive Portrait Series has grown from these encounters. I approach my subjects with the idea that we will work together to create one or more paintings or drawings reflecting their life's passion or even some event which has heavily influenced the course of their lives.

Using the encaustic media, which is painting with hot wax (a combination of microcrystalline wax and beeswax), I not only achieve textural depth, but also, wonderful translucency. Having worked extensively in sculpture with a wide range of materials, I enjoy the challenge provided by this often frustrating media. Please refer to my section on Encaustic Painting, in which I explain my approach to this process.