My work represents a need to increase awareness between the viewer and the culture in which they live. There are multiple ways of seeing issues, as well as different opinions about how, or if they can be resolved. A great deal of my work involves animals as a way to address social issues. For centuries, people have used animals in fables or short stories as a means of teaching and rebuking. I use animals as a way to project different viewpoints on a subject I am working through. By doing this, I seek to engage the viewer in exploring their own ideas and values. After considering their own beliefs, I hope the viewer will be able to better understand and appreciate the complexities of important issues, which are often more elaborate than they first appear. By learning to work beyond basic, often superficial constructs, the viewer can better assess the issues and engage in the difficult, yet meaningful process of learning and understanding.