I try to capture a person or scene’s spiritual essence. This process involves finding a dynamic angle, sometimes using distortion for emphasis, to create an expressive piece rather than a photographic image. A number of my recent pieces reflect the dissonant mood of our current worldwide dilemma or an effort to maintain calm. I have learned to take bold strokes, keep the paint clean, follow the shadows and embrace the light. Artists who inspire me include Paul Cezanne, Egon Schiele, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Arthur Dove, Milton Avery, Wolf Kahn and Alice Neel. –Ida Picker