My paintings are abstractions derived from maps of specific locations. I begin with an actual place and use that as the start of a meditation. The process of painting with dots creates a way to clear my mind while also thinking about things. The result is a composition of color, light, shape, and depth, and is only remotely indicative of its concrete starting point. This past year, with nowhere to go, I found myself needing a way to think about all the events and situations happening everywhere. My work shifted from realism and observation of the world around me, to the abstract: processing that same world and its events. When I discovered Australian Aboriginal dot paintings, I was completely enthralled. I was and am still learning about them, and using those lessons to develop my own work.